Friends, family, former and current employees gathered last Thursday to honor Weinberger’s Furniture & Mattress Showcase’s 90th year in business. The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and even mayor-elect Garnett Johnson joined owner Mark Weinberger in welcoming the public to a warm reception, complete with hors d’oeuvres, wine, a live band and a commemorative ribbon-cutting.
“We made so many relationships over the years,” said owner Mark Weinberger before cutting the ribbon. “It’s like a big family.”
A warm, close-knit management dynamic would be fitting for a store that has been operating as a family business for the better part of a century.
Abe and Hannah Fogel, Weinberger’s maternal grandparents, founded the shop in downtown Augusta in 1932, starting off “very small,” Weinberger said, downtown, where the furniture seller would be located for decades.
Weinberger describes Abe Fogel as a “well connected” businessman who served on the Richmond County Planning Commission for many years.
“My grandfather was sort of a politician in a way,” Weinberger said. “He was able to get products some others couldn’t. He grew the business, he and my grandmother both.”
His father, Gene Weinberger, married Elaine Fogel in 1951 before joining in the business and managing it with brother-in-law Myron Fogel. By the early 1980’s, Myron Fogel would launch Fogel’s Carpet and Vinyl, and Augusta Furniture became Weinberger’s Furniture Store.
The furniture retailer is now located on 3021 Riverwatch Pkwy., with its outlet store across the street at 2525 Reynolds Industrial Rd., and another location in Greensboro, Ga. Its commercial interior design wing, Weinberger’s Business Interiors, run by Frank Mulherin—formerly of the Ivan Allen Company—has been in operation since 2008.
Karly Weinberger Martin, daughter of Mark Weinberger and vice president of Weinberger’s Furniture Showcase, attributes its longevity to its quality service and vast, varied stock. Her father agrees, noting how well everyone works together, lauding staff and team of managers.
“We’ve always just tried to do the right thing,” said Weinberger. “Do what we can to satisfy our customers, offer them good service and good product. It’s just what we do.”
He also underscores how being and independent business has made it more adaptable than some of its corporate competitors.
“Being a small business we’re able to change direction quickly,” he said. “We handle marketing. We do everything internally; we make our own decisions.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
