Suffern Furniture Gallery

In February 2011, Anthony, 50, and Michael Turano, 42, leased the space from the Horowitzes and gave it an interior facelift. “We put in hardwood floors, re-carpeted and and re-painted,” says Anthony. “We named it Suffern Furniture Gallery because the Horowitzes had officially named the store, but we didn’t want to confuse people so we came up with a variation and kept Suffern.”

The Tufanos retained interior designer Joy Bonn and Ray Guzman; Tufano’s wife Lynette, is the general manager. The changes have been so seamless some customers haven’t even realized that the business has changed hands.

We really benefited from the Horowitz’ business being so reputable,” said Tufano. “It had so many loyal longtime customers, and they’re still coming back.” We’re getting third-generation customers. They tell us, ‘My grandparents parents bought furniture here.”

The Tufanos have adjusted their merchandise for that third generation. While the Horowitze’s inventory was mostly traditional country furniture aimed at ages 50 and older, Suffern Furniture Gallery’s merchandise is more high-end, updated and targeted to a younger demographic. Walk under the green awning to find furniture and accent pieces for living rooms, dining rooms, home offices, and adults’ and kids’ bedrooms from brands such as Broyhill, Bradington Young, Legacy Classic Kids, Ho**er, Serrata and Flexsteel.

The brothers, who grew up in Rockland and now live in New Jersey, have made other changes including a website. “Before the internet, people had no idea what they wanted before they went into a store, so they had to spend a lot of time looking around. Now they can browse our website, do some preliminary shopping, look at our brands, styles, fabrics and configurations, and have a good idea of what they want beforehand.”

Both Tufanos got an early start in the retail-furniture business. When he was 20, Anthony started working at Reliable Furniture in Nanuet, one of 20 in New York and New Jersey and all owned by his best friend’s father. In 1992, he bought the Union, New Jersey, location. Five years later, Anthony and recent college graduate Michael debuted Michael Anthony Furniture Gallery in Green Brook, New Jersey. In 2002, the guys closed their Reliable Furniture in Union and launched another Michael Anthony Furniture Gallery, also in Union, which Michael manages. They closed the Green Brook store after obtaining Suffern Fine Furniture.

“I always liked sales and interact with people,” says Anthony Tufano. I enjoy creating, designing and decorating. It’s even more fun now because we’re really starting to benefit from the fruits of our labors. Our businesses are doing reasonably well in this economy. It’s just great.”