Andy’s & the Oak Shoppe craft furniture to last in Greenfield: Outlook 2022

You might say Andy’s & the Oak Shoppe is the grandfather of this family of businesses in Greenfield.

What began as a retirement hobby for the founder, Andy Conti, has grown and expanded to include three locations and four distinct brands.

Andy’s & the Oak Shoppe and Homespun are under the same roof at 352 Deerfield St. on Route 5 in Greenfield, while Bedrooms by Andy’s is diagonally across the street at 329 Deerfield St. The newest store, Andy’s of Keene in New Hampshire, is the company’s first store outside Franklin County.

Conti’s granddaughter, Kate B. Finn, is a co-owner.

While many other businesses were closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Andy’s expanded.

“We were approached by the owner of Manny’s Appliances (who had purchased the old Plotkin Furniture building) to split the 18,000-square-foot space with Manny’s,” Finn explained. “Since it was a well know furniture store before and it was a great opportunity to expand, we decided to open another Andy’s in Keene.”

Having appliances and furniture together under one roof made sense to all involved in the businesses. “We hired back two former Plotkin Furniture employees that John Plotkin was happy to pass on to us and hired another employee who also has furniture experience. This made the transition of a new location a lot smoother and definitely helped set us up for success,” Finn said.

“As for the effects of the pandemic, we feel very fortunate to be in the furniture and home decor industry. Because people were home all of the time due to the pandemic, they had time to think about redecorating and making their home cozy. The money they saved from not being able to travel, they invested into their homes,” she said.

People always need home furnishings. “Your home is your sanctuary, and a lot of people take great pride in taking care of their homes. Comfortable places to sit, pretty pictures to look at on your walls, a stand to hold your TV and a comfortable mattress (on a solid wood bed frame) to lay your head on at night are just a couple of examples of how we bring comfort to your home,” Finn said.

The vast majority of the stores’ inventory is American-made. “We want to carry products that are built to last and that can be passed down,” she said.

Unfinished bookcases, step stools, Adirondack chairs, tables and coat racks are made in Andy’s workshop in Greenfield, all from patterns Conti used 40 years ago. “Having unfinished products built locally and carrying on his legacy is really important to us,” Finn said.

He also passed on to his family a strong work ethic. “He put his all into this business, and we are happy to do the same. He was never afraid to try new things,” Finn said, noting that Conti’s daughter, Gloria Easton, still mentors the business owners.

The family of businesses is an example of the success of diversification. “We have always tried to keep up on current trends. For a long time, we only carried country items, but have since brought in a mix of traditional and contemporary items as well,” Finn said. “For 40 years, we have listened to our customers’ feedback and have adjusted accordingly. I think that’s what makes a great furniture business — one that’s willing to try new things and evolve.”

The four businesses combined have 20 employees and offer 0% financing for 12 months.

Asked about further growth in 2022, Finn said, “We are always open to new possibilities! For now we are just focused daily on providing excellent products and the customer service that Andy’s is known for.”

For more information, visit the websites, andysoak.com and homespunbyandys.com.