Amish Mills Inc. began as a small operation, a company making high-quality Amish furniture with a work force of 12 craftsmen. Since then, the company has grown its revenue, customer base and employees — close to 100 today — year after year by developing its niche as a national retailer of quality, authentic Amish furniture.
When Chairman Christopher Karman bought Amish Mills in 2003, he realized that while the company’s product quality was impeccable, the problem was that the company’s niche of Amish handcrafted curios was no longer very profitable. The real strength of the business was the company’s team of skilled employees, who made beautiful, one-of-a-kind furniture. Karman saw an opportunity for the company to broaden the product selection, go after high-quality retailers outside of Ohio and serve a more diverse base of customers nationwide.
Karman sat down with his craftsmen and started designing new furniture. He assembled a team of driven sales representatives and expanded the product line to include all of the major furniture segments, from office furniture to bedroom suites. And before long, Amish Mills had secured a high-quality list of accounts throughout the United States.
Despite its nationwide growth, Amish Mills still maintains strong ties to the local Amish community today, whether it is employees volunteering their time and services or the company offering use of its facilities to raise money for a good cause. The company also benefits the local economy by purchasing most its raw materials locally.
As the company continues to grow, Karman encourages employees to be creative and always be trying new things to make the products the best they can be. Whenever an employee submits a furniture design idea that is put in the catalog, the employee gets 100 percent of the money from the first product sold. A focus on quality people, products and service is what drives Amish Mills toward future growth.
How to reach: Amish Mills Inc., (330) 359-0400 or www.amishmills.com
