STAGE DOOR FURNITURE

Hi, my name is Jed Ackerman and I thank you for giving me a chance tell you about us. My family has been in the furniture business for 5 generations. My great grandfather started a dry goods store that became one of the biggest furniture stores in New York State in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. My father, Murray Ackerman, the 3rd generation, started a wayside store in 1962 in what was then the “way out in the country” town of Pawling. The original store was a 3 story barn built in 1918 by J.C. Penney for the unheard sum of $75,000.

The barn served as a place to raise White Arabian Horses and later on Black Angus Cattle. The milk maids would sleep and stay on the 3rd floor of the barn. In the 1930’s the barn was obtained by the Jones family and they converted it into a summer stock playhouse called “The Starlight Theatre.” Many of the famous actors of the day performed there but even more famous were the patrons who attended the plays; such celebrities as Lowell Thomas and Thomas Dewey.

Keeping with the theatre motif; Murray Ackerman opened a 15,000 square foot furniture store and named it “Stage Door Furniture.” The store specialized in quality Early American furniture and developed a reputation of “going the extra mile” to satisfy every customer. In the late 1970’s, I (the 4th generation) joined the business and we opened up a 10,000 square foot store in the front of the property. In 1982, we built the Route 9 Fishkill store, ran it for 10 years and sold it to another furniture company.

In 1987, an electrical fire destroyed the barn in a spectacular blaze which could be seen from I-84. The present showroom and warehouse was added to the remaining front building to bring the total square footage to over 57,000 under one roof. In 2006, we had an offer to buy back our Fishkill store, the desire to serve all of the Mid-Hudson Valley and Connecticut was enough of an enticement, so we bought it back.

As the 5th generation is now joining the company in the office, sales, and management we are one of the very few family businesses that continue to grow.

Our goal is to develop a long term warm buying relationship with our customers. With our “happiness guarantee” we will do everything to make sure you are happy and we will never stop trying. My father had a coffee, cookie, and soda bar in the old barn that today’s customers still remember when their parents brought them there. Keeping up with the tradition, we now bake and serve fresh delicious cookies everyday at the front door, when you pick up, and when you get delivery. We guarantee you will be happy!!!

As you navigate through our website, please remember that we all live and work here and that we will always strive to give you the very best in service selection and pricing. You will never have to settle; there is a tremendous selection of fabrics and finishes available and although we have over 2 acres of furniture on display there is 10 times that available to special order through our catalogs.

Our sales associates are all professionally trained and are not “stalkers.” Our 1st class delivery team is the best anywhere and our customer service always receives praise. We welcome you to feel free to come in and browse pressure free to see over 100 fully accessorized rooms on display in each store at guaranteed lowest prices. And of course don’t forget to ask for the cookies!