It’s what makes Lakewood Furniture Galleries stand out from its big-box, regional competitors.

And 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the business that had its beginnings in the village before moving to its current location at 75 Fairmount Ave.

“The (better) quality (furniture) and the customer service are really what make us a regional destination, rather than just a place where you go to (purchase furniture),” said current co-owner Tom Bertges.

In April 2024, Tom and his wife Patty purchased the business from Jon Vandermolen.

This room was part of the original brick house that became Lakewood Furniture Galleries, located at 75 Fairmount Ave. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Patty, who runs the day-to-day operations, Tom said, had been working alongside Jon for several years, and was “dialed in” to interior design and decoration, and when Vandermolen decided to retire in 2024 “we hated to see this business either close down or go to somebody else, so we decided to put a deal together.”

Vandermolen said property owners from Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo come to the store purchase high-end furniture, and then have the furniture shipped.

And for local deliveries, Tom added, customers receive the “white glove” service where professional installers will deliver and set up the merchandise in a customer’s home.

For Patty, customer service is the No. 1 priority. At Lakewood Furniture Galleries, Patty said, the customer is greeted, asked what he or she is looking for, what are his or her needs, and what does he or she want.

“And we, I feel, offer customers a little bit more, because we’re able to actually get them exactly what they want,” Patty said. She noted that if a customer looks at a blue sofa, but the customer wants the sofa in yellow, it can be done.

Lakewood Furniture Galleries is celebrating its 75th anniversary. The business had its beginnings in the village of Lakewood before moving to its current location at 75 Fairmount Ave. P-J file photo

“We specialize in personalization,” Patty said. “We’re able to specialize in what the customer wants and needs, and we take that customer from when they walk in the door throughout the whole process, and I feel that they appreciate that a little bit more.”

Buying furniture is a big investment, and for the customer, Tom said, it’s a seamless, no-pressure experience.

Patty added that chairs, sofas, bedroom sets, dining room sets, living room sets, area rugs, fabric, as well as art that hangs on the walls. She likes selling furniture because of the design aspect.

“I like to see what the customer is looking for,” Patty explained. “Sometimes a customer comes in (to the store) wanting something that I might not even know about, and I like to look into, and see what’s out there.”

Aside from furniture, Patty said, there is a whole room dedicated to available fabric where many different swatch racks adorn the walls.

From left, former Lakewood Furniture Galleries owner Jon Vandermolen, and current owners Patty and Tom Bertges. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Patty and Tom hope to carry on the business for another 75 years while keeping it within the family.

“I hope we’re able to grow it like Jon did. I mean, I hope we’re going to be as lucky and as successful as the Vandermolen family was,” Patty said. “They really brought this place to where it is today, and we would not be here without that.”

The store, Vandermolen said, was born in 1950 and located in the village. Around 1963, the store moved to its current location when Vandermolen’s mother drove by and saw the brick house was for sale. Vandermolen said the Fairmount Avenue business started in the basement and gradually added more rooms to the building which now boasts 30,000 square feet of merchandise.

“It’s been added onto about eight or nine times. It started out little, and it went all the way to 30,000 square feet,” Vandermolen said.

The store is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information call 716-763-8589.