PHOTO OF THE DAY: CLOSING TIME
Tim & Becky Wiese announce decision this week; 81 Metal Art will continue
One of Freeman’s “mom and pop shops” is closing its doors.
Tim and Becky Wiese, owners of East River Furniture, announced early this week that forces beyond their control have prompted them to discontinue operation of the furniture and appliance store that has served this and the Menno communities, in one way or another, since 1964.
The Wieses’ other business, 81 Metal Art, will continue to operate as it has.
“We understand that inflation has caused everyone to tighten up their wallets, but with reduced sales, increased expenses and lack of workforce, we have no choice but to close,” the owners wrote in announcing the closure of East River Furniture on social media Tuesday. “We cannot express how grateful we are to those customers who have been incredibly supportive. We are aware of the need for services in a small community, and we feel terrible to take one more service away. But we simply can’t operate the store on a volunteer basis.”
A Store Closing Sale has been underway this week and will continue in the weeks to come. While a closing date has not been identified, Becky told The Courier that it would be by the end of the year.
She also said the decision was difficult to reach in the years following the 2020 purchase of the business from Kevin and Mike Smidt, who had for decades operated the store as Smidt Furniture, Appliance and Floor Covering.
“We told ourselves from the beginning we would give it three years, but with Covid and all the inventory issues that 2020 and 2021 brought, we decided that timeline wasn’t fair,” Becky told The Courier. “So we gave it five, and between reduced consumer spending, our own increased expenses and no workforce, we can’t make both businesses work.”
And she said this is a reminder of the critical importance of community patronage.
“Everyone keeps asking locals to support local businesses, and sometimes support doesn’t mean making a purchase,” Becky said. “Spreading the word about available services, being a cheerleader for your local businesses and asking your friends and neighbors to at least price check your local stores before leaving town are all supportive. We’ve seen this with restaurants and other businesses in town, and we were no exception.”
And the owners are asking people to spread the word.
“We understand if you are not in need of anything new at this time, but we ask one large favor of you,” they wrote on social media. “Please share the news, share this post and help us to clear out the inventory on hand as we start to refocus our efforts on our primary business in the welding shop.”
STORIED HISTORY
East River Furniture has roots that go back even before Kevin and Mike Smidt’s dad, Harry Smidt, opened the furniture and appliance store in Menno. Before that it was a hardware and general merchandise operation on Freeman’s Main Street established in 1901 by Christ Guenthner, Fred Haar and John J. Wipf — Harry’s grandfather and Kevin and Mike’s great-grandfather. The business expanded into Menno in 1928 and, after Harry took over the operation and introduced furniture, the store operated out of Menno.
Smidt Furniture re-emerged in Freeman after Kevin and Mike took over around 1990 when they opened a store in the building that had been Pine Hill Printery; that building in 1994 was destroyed by fire. The Smidts rebuilt and opened the following year in the present building and eventually closed in Menno before selling to the Wieses in 2020.
