By Ra’Vae Edwards
Steve Ramer removes a glued piece of wood from a machine where it was clamped together after being


stripped and glued. (Ra’Vae Edwards/News Tribune photo)
 

HIGH POINT, Mo. – They strive for high quality in High Point.

In business since 1996, brothers Steve, John and Ed Ramer have been building quality oak furniture designed and handcrafted at their shop, Ramer Brothers Furniture.

“This was something we decided we could do so dad could retire and stay home,” Steve said. “We wanted him to take it easy and this was a good way for us to help him and support our families at the same time. He helps us out as a salesman in the shop.”

Taking an age-old craft passed down to them through several generations, the brothers decided woodworking was what they wanted to do.

“Dad always had a woodworking shop,” Steve said. “When we moved to High Point in 1976, I was three years old. Dad tried the farming thing and that didn’t work out so he went into construction full-time.

“But he always had a little shop that he would work in whenever he could making things his father and grandfather and great-grandfather taught him to make.”

Starting with the idea of making wholesale furniture for the first couple of years, the Ramer brothers quickly decided it would be easier and would serve the market better if they geared the business more toward retail customers.

In 1999, they built a storefront and expanded their workshop, which helped open sales to an even larger market than before.

“People really need to come here to appreciate what (the furniture) is,” Steve said. “We take a lot of calls and we try to help the customer on the phone, but if they really want to appreciate quality, handmade furniture, it’s worth the drive wherever they’re from.”

Because each piece is handmade, there are no two pieces exactly alike.

“We use our hands to make each piece of furniture, so they are not perfect,” he said.

Each of the three brothers, who are of the Mennonite faith, play a different role in the business.

Steve mainly builds bedroom furniture and hutches and handles the custom orders, Ed builds tables and chairs while John puts the finishing touches on each piece as he spends several hours each day varnishing.

In addition to the large pieces of furniture, several smaller pieces including bread boxes, gun racks, small tables, wall hangings, framed mirrors and novelty pieces also are available at Ramer Brothers Furniture.

“We don’t make the smaller pieces that you see here in the showroom because we don’t have time,” Steve said. “But, they are all made by several Amish families in Ohio and Pennsylvania and we go out there and pick up orders and bring them here. They aren’t mass produced, they are handmade just like our pieces.”

Custom orders are welcome, but Steve said the waiting list is often long.

“Often times, people think we can build the furniture they want in a few days, but it sometimes takes three to six months,” Steve said. “The custom orders take a little longer because we have to build them from scratch. By that I mean we have made patterns for our own pieces so when we do a custom order, we’re working without a pattern and it takes a little longer.”

With business growing at a rapid speed, hundreds of pieces of furniture leaving the store yearly and constant custom orders, the brothers have been looking into building a larger showroom area to accommodate the customers.

“We are never sitting around wondering what we’re going to do next,” Steve said. “There’s always something for us to build. We’ve been very blessed.”

Each piece of furniture carries a 10-year warranty and free delivery is available within 50 miles of the store.

“If something we built cracks, it’s a no-hassle deal. Just give us some time and we’ll fix it,” Steve said.