The Resurgence of American Manufacturing

From the mills of colonial New England, to the steel plants of the Midwest, manufacturing has long been a key component of the American economy. Unfortunately, the general trend since the middle of the twentieth century has been downward. After taking a particularly stiff drubbing during the so-called Great Recession, American manufacturing has finally started to show signs of improvement over the past couple of years.

What’s remarkable about Manchester Wood is that we started making solid wooden furniture during the mid 70’s, just as American manufacturing was entering its long slide and jobs were starting to be shipped to places like Mexico or Taiwan and later China. Despite the general trend of outsourcing, we remained committed to American made furniture.

The Hanover Media and Gaming Stand

One recent encouraging sign for the U.S. economy is a growing for enthusiasm American made products. A recent study indicated that more than of 80% of Americans are willing to spend additional money on an American product instead of paying less for a comparable foreign product. This is great news for us: instead of cheap, foreign, particle board coffee tables, solid wood American furniture is coming back into vogue. Furthermore, as people start to tire of their foreign-made furniture deteriorating and breaking due to poor workmanship or materials, they are realizing the sense in spending a bit more money on durable, quality furniture made in the U.S.A.

If you are interested in U.S.A. made furniture, check out our solid wood TV stands. These stands are designed to enhance your home entertainment setup while still preserving the traditional charm of solid wood furniture.

Not only is our furniture 100% made in the U.S.A., it is also green. All of our lumber comes from certified sustainable North American forests, so you can be sure that you are supporting the American economy without jeopardizing the environment.

Need TV Tray Tables? Try Solid Wood!

TV tray tables became popular in the 1950′s, as the price of televisions fell to the point that middle class American families were able to afford them. Television trays were originally marketed as a way of conveniently eating meals and watching TV simultaneously, but have come to serve a variety of different purposes as well.

A tray table ad from the 50′s

These days, many people use their TV tray tables as a surface for their laptop or tablet so they can do things like check their email while watching the morning news or video chat with their friends while they watch the game.  Who would have imagined that television trays, originally associated with 1950′s America, would become strongly associated with digital technology?

At Manchester Wood, television trays were some of our most popular items over the holiday season. One customer favorite is our Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk, which is designed to be a versatile peace of furniture that can either be used as a folding TV tray or as a standalone desk.

Need more that one folding tray table? We also offer sets, like our Rectangular Folding TV Tray Table Set of 2 , which also comes in a set of four. These sets are great for couples and families. If you are interested in checking out our whole selection of folding tray tables, here it is.

Finally, a note about construction and materials. Since TV table trays were conceived in the 1950s, many of them were made with a miraculous new material called plastic, with metal for structural integrity. However, soon the novelty of plastic began to wear off, and its drawbacks, like brittleness and aesthetic shortcomings, became apparent. At Manchester Wood, we make our folding tray tables just like we make our other furniture: using sustainably harvested North American hardwoods. We hope you check out our wood TV trays and choose to buy American made furniture.

The Legacy of Shaker Furniture in Upstate New York

Shaker Furniture is named after a religious sect that developed during the 18th Century in England. Like many religious groups during the time, they emigrated to America, where they were able to practice their religion without fear of persecution or harassment. Once they arrived, they began to establish communities in upstate New York, just miles from our where our factory sits today.

Shaker spirituality placed a high value on workmanship, frugality and honesty. Accordingly, Shakers endeavored to provide for themselves; while they were not tending the fields, they would spend their time practicing crafts such as spinning, weaving and furniture making. Due to their spirituality and work ethic, the goods produced in these communities were of an exceptionally high quality and exhibited a humble, down-to-earth aesthetic that came to be appreciated by people outside of Shaker communities. Soon, a substantial market for these Shaker style goods started to develop.

Our Shaker Secretary Desk has classic lines and great functionality

One exceptionally popular piece of craftsmanship was the Shaker chair. Around the time of the Civil War, less than 100 years after the group came to America, furniture factories unaffiliated with the movement started producing their own versions of the Shaker chair. Other Shaker style furniture, such as Shaker tables and cabinets, quickly grew in popularity as well.

At Manchester Wood, we are proud to be a part of this tradition of fine craftsmanship. Our Shaker Collection offers many great pieces, including Shaker desks and tables. In addition to traditional models, we also offer a few more contemporary takes on Shaker furniture. For example, our Shaker Entertainment Console combines 18th century aesthetics with 21st century functionality and allows your living room to boast a modern entertainment without compromising its traditional appeal. We also offer a wide selection of Shaker desks, such as our Shaker Secretary Desk, a customer favorite. These desks are perfect for studying, surfing the web or paying bills.

Shaker furniture has a strong legacy of craftsmanship that dates back before the American Revolution. We understand the importance of this legacy, and we continue to produce quality solid wood furniture using sustainable timber that is 100% American made.

Hardwood Desks: American Made Furniture at Manchester Wood

Mission Compact Desk

Quality home office furniture is a rising need in home furnishings and in many cases a necessity in today’s work culture. Manchester Wood offers solid wood desks for your home with in a number of various designs to help you find the ideal piece of wood office furniture. From our large Shaker Desk, fit for any business office or large home office space, to the smaller, Secretary Desk and Compact Desk, to our portable desks, such as the Campaign Desk, Lap Desk, and Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk, we have solid wood desks that will fit in any size space or setting.

All of our desks and furniture are designed to provide convenience for common needs and the unique character of Manchester Wood’s solid wood furniture.  All of our pieces are built from solid American ash hardwood, feature durable construction, and have stain-resistant finishes.  These qualities mean that our solid wood home office furniture that will hold up to years of use while preventing discoloration from accidental spills. Each piece is inspected multiple times during our manufacturing process, and comes with our 100% quality guarantee.

A classic hardwood desk is a staple in any home, and what better place to purchase such a quality, handcrafted piece then from a  solid wood furniture company producing them in the USA. Manchester Wood is that choice; in whatever shape or form you’re looking for in your work desk, whether for home or office, we have it.

Be sure to view our current desks here.

Weeklong Father’s Day Media Stand Sale!

Manchester Wood’s Black Mountain Console Table

This Father’s Day, it is a pleasure for us at Manchester Wood to offer a 15% off sale on all our handsome entertainment media and television stands.  Perfect gifts for dad this holiday season, all of our stands feature handsomely distinctive styling.

Beginning Monday June 11^th right up to Father’s Day on June 17^th we’re offering our handcrafted solid wood items for dad’s celebration that he’ll be proud to display in his entertainment space.

Simply type “Dad” in the coupon code box at checkout, and you’ll receive 15% off all media/TV stands from Manchester Wood, as well as FREE Shipping (as always) with all our American made furniture pieces.

Proudly gift this Father’s Day solid wood TV stands from Manchester Wood, where furniture made in the USA is our calling and privilege to provide.

USA Love List/Manchester Wood June Giveaway!

It is our great pleasure to be partnering with the fantastic Made in America blog, USA Love List, for this month’s giveaway from Manchester Wood. Enter to win our Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk.  A uniquely designed desk, it is constructed to fit the present mobile lifestyle with its large workspace and light, durable solid wood construction.

Manchester Wood’s Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk, what USA Love List calls “an updated old idea to an instant hit!”

Our Portable Folding Work and Laptop Desk is perfect for the fast paced world in which we live, as it easily folds for people on the go. Whether you use it for your laptop, or to work on important documents, our folding work desk provides a comfortable and convenient workspace.

The curved shape of the desk fits close to you while also adding a spacious work area to the sides when you need a little extra workspace. It also features a cutout built-in handle that allows you to move the desk to any room with ease.

USA Love List is offering this product for FREE as apart of our monthly giving away series with opportunities for multiple daily entries, including a “Pin It to Win It” option for those on Pinterest.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will close at midnight on 6/14. A winner will be randomly selected, verified for correct entry participation, and notified by email.

Memorial Day 15% Off Campaign Desk Celebration

Manchester Wood’s Campaign Desk – now offering 15% off!

In celebration of Memorial Day and to remember and honor all those who have served America in uniform, Manchester Wood is offering a special deal on our prized historical reproduction piece, the Campaign Desk.

From May 21^st to June 1^st the price of this solid wood desk will be reduced by 15%.  The Campaign Desk is a solid wood furniture piece that is conveniently designed.  Based on a traveling desk from the Revolutionary era of the early Americas, the likes of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and other forefathers of the United States penned on desks very similar to our Campaign Desk as wrote letters of love, war, and budding ideas of independence. The Campaign Desk was also used many times on the battlefield for officers to map their plans or write their orders during the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

What better way to cherish and memorialize our past than with this timeless piece of furniture; an heirloom item sure to bring a discussion wherever it finds its place in your home.

To receive this discount on a very unique and memorable item, type “celebration” in the coupon code box at checkout.

This solid hardwood desk is American made, handcrafted, and built to last generations.

 Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

No Buyers Remorse with Manchester Wood

Our solid wood furniture is designed for quality so that you are not left regretting your purchase.

At Manchester Wood we pride ourselves on not making quality solid wood furniture instead of the cheap throwaway items you’ll find at most big box stores.  Sold by the truckloads, such throwaway furniture is typically destined for landfills not a few short years after they’re sold.

We design solid wood furniture made in America with a promise of heirloom quality that will last generations. Our care for the earth is shown in all our eco-friendly practices and socially conscious decisions.  In making our furniture, we only use locally harvested wood  that comes from forests, which incorporate observed reseeding plans to replenishing the timber and trees that we’ve  removed from our treasured forests.

Our customers are not reckless shoppers and likely due to this, we do not see many instances of  ‘buyers remorse,’ where customers regret their purchase from us. We’ve found that our intelligent consumers thoroughly investigate the options, observe the best finishes to meet their home, and ask thoughtful questions, which is the right approach when you are buying a furniture piece that will last a lifetime.

At Manchester Wood our promise is to provide you a quality product that is exactly as we represent it on our website and advertising.  If anything, our goal is to provide furniture pieces that go beyond satisfying customers with their quality.  We want to impress and inspire with our dedication to sold wood craftsmanship and quality.

 Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

Manchester Wood Celebrates Earth Day Weekend!

All of us at Manchester Wood just wanted to take a moment this Friday (April 20^th 2012), two days before the celebration of this year’s Earth Day, and the glorious weekend it entails, to write an entry of thanksgiving for such a wonderful place that we call home.

From our eco-friendly sustainable timber harvesting practices, to our local craftsmanship, with the final remains of all our work, the sawdust of its effort, going out to farms surrounding areas of our “mill” for  animal bedding.  For Manchester Wood, traditional industrial/commercial efforts are transforming into a “green” localized effort that helps nurture and protect this amazing Earth we so gratefully inhabit by minimizing our waste, and limiting any damaging effects.

This is the age of new practice, and for the manufacturing world that means great change.  Manchester wood is proud to be  American made while also striving to be on the cutting edge of eco-friendly efforts.  If fact, we think that these goals bring about the true essence of what defines “American” – stretching the boundaries, developing progressive thoughts, and pioneering a better way of life.

Let’s bring those ideals back this day, and this weekend, as we celebrate Mother Earth, and how good she has been to us.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

15% off our Equinox Rocker for First Day of “Equinox Spring”

Our Equinox Rocker and Adirondack Side Table

Manchester Wood celebrates the first day of “Equinox Spring,” the technical name for the first day of spring, which is today, March 20th with 15% off our Equinox Rocker till the following week, March 27th.

Why “Equinox Spring”? Well, the name “equinox” is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night) as the night and day have approximately equal length during this time period. The tilt of the Earth’s axis is neither to one side or the other, which means the center of the Sun is the same as the Earth’s equator. Spring for many of us around the World then means longer days, and the equinox is the reason. So in celebration of these longer, sunnier days upon us, Manchester Wood is offering a sale of 15% off our Equinox Rocking Chair!

The Equinox Rocker has quickly become a customer favorite among our many prized solid wood outdoor furniture pieces. The name was originally inspired by Equinox Mountain in Manchester, Vermont, our hometown and the birthplace of Manchester Wood. The rocking chair has many similar lines to our famous Adirondack Chair, but also boasts it’s own, very distinct features. With straighter back support and seating design compared to its Adirondack Chair counterpart, this versatile outdoor furniture item is a beautiful addition to any country home while enjoying the outdoors. You may also wish to complete the set for your deck or patio by purchasing our entire Equinox Collection, which includes chairs and benches of the same aesthetic.

To buy this great solid wood furniture piece at it’s special discounted rate March 20th-27th, type “EQX” in the coupon code box at check-out for 15% off, which includes FREE SHIPPING. Like Manchester Wood’s entire American made furniture products, the Equinox Rocker is made in the USA, handcrafted in our mill with the highest quality natural hardwood resources of the Northeast forests.

What better outdoor furniture to own then that made from the Adirondacks, in the Adirondacks. Be sure to check out our whole Outdoor Collection featuring our famous Adirondack Chair, and its featured add-ons as well as Kid’s furniture, benches, chairs, end tables, footstools, and more. We’re entering the season of outdoor furniture; take us with you this spring and summer.

To view the Equinox Rocker, currently available at 15% off, click here.
For our entire Outdoor Collection, click here.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture
in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.