Short move driven by landlord proves company’s commitment to Luray
By Randy Arrington
LURAY, May 2 — When Schewels Home received notice in November that the home furnishings outlet needed to vacate its 22,000-square-foot showroom adjacent to Tractor Supply in the next 60 days, it left few options and little time to act on them.
“All options were on the table at that time,” said Matt Schewel, fifth-generation owner. “Even when we decided to keep the store, it was still uncertain because of the availability of spots.”
Locations in the East Luray Shopping Center and even downtown were scouted. A faded “Schewels Furniture” sign painted on the side of a brick building along the Hawksbill Creek can still be seen from the West Main Street bridge.
“We’re very proud of our history of being in Luray and Page County since 1941,” Matt told dozens gathered at Friday’s grand opening. “When we had to vacate the shopping center we had to call a quick audible… The Schewels family felt the best thing was to reinvest in this area and stay in Luray.”
After sorting through several potential sites, Schewels found a new “Home” almost within sight, just across Route 211 and a stone’s throw further west. Long ago known as the Sabua car dealership, the 16,000-square-foot building has served as a funeral home and a retail site for discounted items sold by Hunt and Peck. Half of the new showroom space was still a garage when Schewels acquired the building.
“This is one of the most unique remodels we’ve done,” Matt said. “One part was used for auto repair, and one part was a funeral home.”
On Friday, dozens of local officials, supporters and customers looking to take advantage of opening weekend deals lined up at the doors. The Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting just prior to the rush to the showroom.
“It looks tremendous in there, and it looks like they’ve been there for years,” Chamber President Gina Hilliard said on Friday.
“We are thankful that Schewels decided to stay here,” Luray Vice Mayor Ron Vickers said prior to the ribbon cutting. “We are fortunate that Luray has a place to buy furniture, so people don’t have to drive to Harrisonburg.”
The owner announced that the Luray location would be partnering with its Harrisonburg store to provide delivery services for local customers.
“Our goal continues to be the primary furniture destination in Luray and Page County,” Matt said.
While Elias Schewel started a furniture legacy by peddling chairs door to door in Lynchburg in the late 1890s, it would be one of his three sons, Abe, that discovered Luray 44 years later and brought the family franchise to Page County.
“He was visiting the Harrisonburg store, when he came by this picturesque town and thought it would be a good place to open a furniture store,” Matt told those gathered at the Luray location in 2022 to celebrate Schewels’ 125th anniversary. “So in 1941, we opened a store in Luray. This was maybe the fifth or sixth store the family opened outside of Lynchburg, so it was one of our first…”
When Schewels first arrived in Luray, it displayed its wares in the Main Street space now occupied by Page One. A few years later, the downtown furniture store would migrate across the West Main Street bridge and set up shop in what is now Inspiring Dreams Dance Studio. Decades later, the third move to the Food Lion Shopping Center took place in 2000.
Schewels Home is one of the oldest furniture retailers in the United States under continuous family operation. In 1897, Elias Schewel, a Lithuanian immigrant, opened a store called the Chicago Furniture Bargain House in Lynchburg, which was incorporated in 1917 as Schewel Furniture Company. The company rebranded as Schewels Home in 2019.
While history played a big part in Schewels’ decision to continue operating in Luray, the owner says industry economics came into play as well.
“Furniture is challenging lately… we need to preserve as much of the sales as possible,” Matt Schewel told PVN on Friday. “We have 52 stores in Virginia, West Virgnia and North Carolina… for one location to go away has an impact. We didn’t want to close a store when it wasn’t our decision.”
Despite the fact that their break room once served as a morgue, Schewels’ owner says another key reason to stay in Luray was out of respect and loyalty for their dedicated staff.
“We have a good base of employees and staff, and we wanted to continue to provide opportunities for them to serve the community and grow,” Matt said. “I appreciate them sticking with us during this tumultuous time.”
The landlord in the Food Lion shopping has yet to announce who the new tenant is that will fill the furniture outlet’s void and hastened its exit, but Schewels seems to be quickly settling in to its new digs just across Route 211.
“We can’t wait for customers to experience our new store and everything we have to offer,” said seven-year Luray store manager Larry Taylor. “While the space is new, our commitment to value, selection, and exceptional service remains the same — just as it has for 84 years. This investment by the Schewel family reaffirms their dedication to the Page County community for generations to come.”
The new Schewels Home store in Luray is located at
2039 U.S. Hwy 211 West, Luray, VA 22835.
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