MONROE - Woodmarket Furniture has been providing customers throughout the region with quality indoor and outdoor wood furniture since 1992.Woodmarket Furniture, 615 Main Street in Monroe, is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 10 am to 6 pm; Thursdays, from 10 am to 7 pm; Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm; Sundays, from noon to 4:30 pm; and is closed on Mondays. For more information about Woodmarket Furniture, call 203-268-8707, e-mail info@woodmarketfurniture.com, or visit woodmarketunfinishedfurniture.com.

This year, the company reached its quarter-century milestone and is celebrating with storewide sales throughout its 5,000-square-foot showroom at 615 Main Street until the end of the year.

Owner John Cooke has been in the wood furniture business for nearly 30 years, having worked at his former father-in-law's furniture shop for five years learning the trade.

After gaining valuable experience in the industry, Mr Cooke decided to start his own endeavor by creating the first incarnation of his store known as The Woodmarket: Unfinished Furniture.

The store was originally located in the Clock Tower Square shopping center in Monroe, but after the business continued to thrive he decided to make the leap to a larger building just a mile or so north on Route 25.

The new location proved to be the ideal spot to expand the company's showrooms to include both unfinished and finished solid wood furniture and resulted in the name change to Woodmarket Furniture.

The store has items crafted for any room of the house. It offers everything from coffee tables, end tables, pantry cabinets, wall shelving, and desks to bedroom furniture, doll furniture, benches, stools, entertainment centers, book cases, and Adirondack chairs.

There are also customizable table and chair sets in woods like cherry, maple, and oak.

Many products are made from the Amish, but also include furniture from the Mennonites and an Ohio manufacturer whose finishing is done by the Amish.

Woodmarket Furniture even has its own professional finishing company for those looking to purchase an unfinished wood piece at the store then customize it to be stained later.

"When we work with people, we try to find them what they want, made the way they want it, and to meet their needs in size, function, and finish," Mr Cooke explained. "We allow people to look on their own as they want or give them as much help as they would like."

Throughout the last 25 years, Mr Cooke has served not only countless families, but also the next generation of those families.

"Recently a young woman came in with her husband and were buying a table and chair set. She told me how she remembers when she first came here and that she used to play in the [children's area]," Mr Cooke said.

"She remembers buying her first desk here; helping her mom and dad to pick out a paint and stain, how much fun it was, and how excited she was to have it, so she's coming back."

Memorable experiences like that are what motivate Mr Cooke to continue delivering personal service and quality furniture to his clients.

"I enjoy this business," Mr Cooke said. "I want to thank my customers from over the years, because they've really been so wonderful."

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