By Esther Leggett
Are you looking for some new furniture but tired of fighting big-city traffic and offers for "a million months to pay" or "sale ends tonight at seven o'clock?"
Then take a nice, leisurely drive in beautiful Amish Country and go to Jake's Handcrafted Oak for a great selection of quality, hardwood furniture. At Jake's, you'll also find an atmosphere of "come on in, relax and take your time."
Located on Holmes County Township Road 562, a mile off Township Road 245 between the villages of Holmesville and Fredericksburg, Jake's furniture store is celebrating its 11th anniversary.
Jake Chupp, together with his wife, Millie, and other family members, runs the business.
"After working at another vocation for 22 years, I decided I wanted to do something on my own, close to home," Jake explained. "At that time, there wasn't another furniture store in this part of the county, so with my brother's encouragement, I took the plunge and now my dream has come true."
Jake's Handcrafted Oak is strictly a retail establishment, but all the furniture is handcrafted by local Amishmen to last a lifetime for many generations.
"The shops that manufacture our furniture don't mass-produce it. We believe quality is more important than quantity. And we sell absolutely no imported
furniture here," Jake said. "People need to be careful, because some furniture stores in the area are actually carrying furniture made in China."
Does Jake carry only oak furniture?
"Actually, we specialize in solid hardwood oak, cherry and maple furniture," Jake said, "as well as some hickory, which is becoming more and more popular."
The store offers large items such as bedroom furniture, dining room and kitchen tables (round, oval or square) and chairs, end tables, coffee tables, curio and china cabinets, secretaries, microwave stands, dry sinks, jelly cupboards, pie safes (with tin door panels), filing cabinets, computer desks, entertainment centers (even ones for wide-screen TVs), roll-top desks and bookcases.
One specialty at Jake's is glider rockers. They come in many styles, including swivel and non-swivel.
Also available are standing mirrors, stools of all heights, children's tables and chairs, doll cradles, highchairs, silverware chests, custom-made picture frames, tea carts and bread boxes. Many smaller accessories are also on hand, such as novelty birdhouses, United States and individual-state clocks, other wall clocks and tabletop items.
Jake's also carries a couple very unique items. One is an expandable bench (pictured below). Just as you can put leaves in a wooden table to extend its length, this bench also has little leaves so it can become longer, just like the table! Now why didn't I think of that?
Another totally "knock-your-socks-off" product is a beautiful high-back bed whose "foot' of the bed houses a flat-screen TV that rises up so you can watch TV in bed (pictured below)! Talk about the lap of luxury; this is it!
The Early American and Victorian style of furniture is slowly giving way to a more modern style, Jake said.
"People are looking for darker shades of finish now, and a lot of two-tone pieces, using a stain and paint, often black," he said.
"And we want each and every piece of our furniture to leave the store with a top-quality finish," Millie said. "The Woodwright varnish we use has been tested for heat and chemical resistance, and the appearance is no less than the best."
Most sales are from orders, allowing customers to customize their furniture's style, detail and finish. According to Jake, most table and chair sets take approximately six weeks to complete, and most bedroom sets, up to twelve.
"If we don't have what our customers are looking for," Millie said, "we will do our best to get it built for them."
Of course, Jake's also sells furniture right off the showroom floor, and they can ship it anywhere.
Some customers come ready to buy complete sets, such as bedroom sets and dining room sets, but others choose to buy a few pieces at a time, as their budget allows. Custom-made furniture allows you to enjoy this option.
How do people find out about Jake's? Well, word of mouth is one of the most beneficial ways.
"Our satisfied customers tell their friends and families," Jake said. "Then they come, and then they tell their friends."
So if your friends and family haven't yet told you about Jake's Handcrafted Oak, enjoy that drive in the country and head to Jake's to find some gorgeous furniture for yourself. Then go back home and tell them. You'll be glad you did!
Jake's Handcrafted Oak -- 8239 TR 652, Holmesville, OH 44633; voice mail, (888) 388-5650; fax (330) 695-2262; hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun., closed.