Laura

Today, I’m the proud owner of a unique furniture store that has become a fixture in Pittsburgh’s lively and exciting Strip District. Twenty three years ago, when I started this business, I wasn’t sure what the future held. I took a risk, quitting my job and abandoning a steady paycheck as a LAN Specialist for AT&T during the computer networking boom of the early 1990s. It was a steady living, but I knew I needed a change. What I wanted was to take a risk.

I found beauty in furniture. I fell in love with furniture, the dusty, traditional styles of Mexico and the Southwestern United States, and the rich, hand-carved pine pieces from the West Coast. Going into furniture was a risk. After all, I earned a degree in communications. I had no business acumen, no experience running my own store. But there was something thrilling about it, the excitement of stepping into the unknown.

Things weren’t easy at first. Before I found the location we still occupy today, on the Strip District’s Smallman Street, I was selling Mexican pottery on the side of the road next to a gas station. Those days were tough, the hours were long, and the money was pretty much non-existent. But I stuck with it.
I found a beautiful location for my store, right in the neighborhood I wanted, the Strip District. I travelled far and wide, filling my trailer with unique, beautiful furniture I thought my customers would love. Things have worked out better than I could have imagined. I haven’t just founded a successful business, I’ve had the chance to connect and truly bond with customers over a shared appreciation of furniture. We’ve formed our own little community. I consider them friends, first and foremost.

If you’re interested in becoming a part of our Artistry community, stop by our store, join our mailing list, and check out all the beautiful furniture on display!