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Zerns
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greatamishoutdoorfurniture
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Ralph
Mastrangelo ZERN'S MIDWAY VENDOR
MARKETS GREAT AMISH OUTDOOR FURNITURE |
Ralph
Mastrangelo
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If
you are lucky enough to own a piece of Amish outdoor furniture,
you can feel confident that it will last. The Lapp family,
indeed, most Amish furniture producers, come from a long line of
woodworkers, who work together, work hard and are meticulous
about what they do. The furniture is always Quality with a
capital Q, The Amish outdoor furniture carried by Zern's Midway
vendor Ralph Mastrangelo is constructed from pressure-treated
yellow southern pine. Ralph carries gliders, rockers, hanging
swings and picnic tables. Wood storage sheds made by Amos Lapp
can be special ordered.
Like many of Zern's entrepreneurial folk, Ralph got into the
outdoor furniture business after he lost his full-time job,
working for Gruber's Bleach Company in the seventies. When the
firm went out of business, a friend said to him "You just
gotta have the right product at the right price." And Ralph
was eagerly looking for a new business venture where he could be
the boss.
"I started driving up to Lancaster back in the late
seventies, and brought home some outdoor furniture to my home in
Spring City. I began selling to friends first - - about six
years ago." Meanwhile, at Zern's Farmers Market, where
Ralph had gone since childhood, he met an Amish woodworker. Amos
Lapp was selling outdoor sheds at Zern's and in a friendly
gesture, gave Ralph some space to sell outdoor furniture. Then
Amos left - - "I guess he was too busy making his sheds for
customers to commute," Mastrangelo laughed.
Ralph got into his wonderful wooden furniture with real
enthusiasm as a Zern's vendor and has since grown in knowledge
and sales. He enjoys the compliments of return customers, who
come back to get more chairs, or a swing.
"Summer months are always a good time for sales," he
says, and one of our favorites is our Amish Adirondack line of
chairs, rockers and gliders. They are almost always the
bestsellers."
Chairs start at $89, wooden swings are $100. and up, and gliders
run about $175. Philadelphia and Main Line customers drive out
just to see Ralph, because his prices are always at least 20%
lower than Philadelphia. Locals buy because they know the
quality.
Ralph also carries an attractive line of outdoor lighthouses,
and will do delivery on some furniture.
During the week, Ralph helps a friend with a cleaning service.
He is married with two daughters; his youngest just graduated
from Kutztown State College. His oldest daughter teaches sixth
grade English in Phoenixville. A golf buff, Ralph plays at the
Gilbertsville Golf Course with a handicap of about fifteen.
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danbreslinestatejewelrystand
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Gentleman
Jeweler with a Heart
Neill Breslin, Estate Jewelry Stand 130-B |
Neill
Breslin
White-haired Neill Breslin looks like a gentleman and is one. This
Philadelphia born estate jeweler estimates that he has been in
and out of Zern's for forty or fifty years! Many of those
years, Neill worked from a stand in the flea market, and then, the
right spot came along inside, Stand 130-B in the middle of the
West Wing.
Breslin's specialty is pre-owned jewelry, older pieces that have
survived time. To collectors, the intrinsic value could be
greater than the gold and gems, like the brooch one customer
bought that had been a Christmas day present - - eighty years
ago. "We don't have enough of it," laments Neill, "
about half of what I have is more contemporary jewelry and it
doesn't have the same feeling for people that love estate
merchandise. Most of my customers look for older pieces, things
that their grandmother's might have worn, I often hear 'oh, my
grandmother had one just like this.'"
With a smile of satisfaction, Neill says, "This is a really
nice business. I have been doing it for thirty some years, and
many of these pieces of jewelry are like little works of art! I
have some Civil War period items, and even older, hair jewelry
on display." 0ne piece is dated 1839, pre-Civil War, a
woven hair locket. These pieces are treasures and Neill can rarely
be convinced to take them out of the glass display cases.
"I have one pair of earrings and pendant that is gold with
the hair woven into it, exquisite." But some of the pieces
are just too fragile, and are kept mostly in a collection,
rather than worn. Breslin even has an original soldier's
government pension - - at the time it was $3 a month!
To find the special jewelry that he sells at Zern's Farmers
Market, Neill haunts specialty auctions, looks at listings
in the Philadelphia Inquirer, or calls the auctioneer to see
just what they have. Neill tells me that "occasionally I buy
out contents of a house and if I am lucky, I may acquire nice
pieces from that."
"Often, I feel attached to a piece - - like my Civil War
jewelry, and cannot sell it. The craftsmanship in some of the 18
kt. jewelry cannot be replicated. I have a green gold watch
piece from 1860; it runs as good as a quartz watch today. I
looked up the serial number and there was a long story on the
pocket watches, all hand-finished, all the parts. Then of
course, equipment changed and the hand finishing was not
necessary".
"My customers love that old engraving - they can feel that
they were touching onto that person and his life."
And Neill Breslin loves the customers. "At a mall you don't
meet people - - here there is a lot of conversation.
Zern's is therapy! And when our elders come to Zern's, they can
talk to people all the time!"
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annamaeshaner'sgiftsandcollectibles
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Anna Mae Shaner's
Gifts and Collectibles
Stand 151
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Bill Shaner sells distinguished dogs and Harmony Kingdom Boxes
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Anna
Mae Shaner
A Zern's
vendor for thirty-five years, Anna Mae Shaner got started as a
Zern's vendor back in 1968, out in the open-air flea market. She
sold first and seconds shirts produced in her husband and
brother-in-law's Perkiomen Knitting Mill in East Greenville. The
shirts at 50 cents each, were a hit at Zern's. The bargain price
was because they were from dye lots that didn't set. Mrs. Shaner
was careful to tell her 50 cent buyers to be sure to "soak
in salt water and vinegar to keep them from running."
In 1970, Anna Mae switched to collectibles and antiques with the
opening of her first inside stand. She had long collected
Hummel, and antique glassware, it seemed a natural choice. Anna
Mae's son, Bill began working at Zern's at age thirteen, running
the outside stand, selling shirts and antiques. In 1988, the
Shaners expanded on certain upscale giftlines, stone resin
pieces from Mill Creek Sculpture, Marty Sculpture of elephants,
dogs, cats and whimsical baby dragons, and the beautiful
Castagna line of wildlife sculpture.
The Shaners are avid dog fanciers, and their extensive line of
dogs demonstrate this well - - - they have one of the largest
selections of dog breed figurines, even vying with the Berks
County Humane Society!
After twenty-seven years, the Shaners are still sometimes
surprised by the specialty requests from collectors. One popular
item is the array of Harmony Kingdom Collectible Boxes from
England-that have a hidden acorn or mouse or mystery item hidden
somewhere on the piece, depending upon the artist.
"We have loyal customers that have been coming to us for
twenty years," says Bill. "And we carry the largest
selection in the area of many lines, we believe that if you are
going to order a product you have to show and display the
product. One or two of the line just won't do."
One long time client keeps asking for figurines of roller
skaters - - - let him know if you know where to find this!
Another frequent request is for 'ceramic pieces of obscure dog
breeds.' There is always humor at the busy stand 151 at Zern's.
One weekend, the Shaners had a replica of Michelangelo's David
displayed on top of a glass case, and three elderly ladies
passed by. When one exclaimed, "Look at the Naked
Man!" - - the other two ladies said , "Where,
Where"?! "Like a bunch of schoolgirls," Bill
smiled. .
Partner Jeff Klopp started at Zern's market in 1969 with his
parents with Klopp's Ceramic Stand, and met the Shaners years
later, after Klopp's was sold to Jeff's sister. In 1990,
he started with Anna Mae Shaner Gifts and Collectibles Says
Bill, "Ours is a recession proof product because people
adore their pets and it is a steady ongoing love affair with
animals!, Jeff added."
Anna Mae celebrated her 72nd birthday this year. In her spare
time, this spunky widow takes care of landscaping her yard, and
swimming in her own deep pool in warm weather.
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