Upholstery Firm Still Has South Jersey Area (Re)Covered

Bruce Willis had a real problem with the décor.

It was the mid-90s, and the movie star, shooting a film in Philadelphia, couldn’t abide the yellow/raspberry decorating scheme in his Rittenhouse Square hotel suite. So the hotel did what any conscientious establishment would do to appease a major celebrity: it called in a design and reupholstering company to redo all the furniture, in a more Willis-pleasing sage green.

That company, Sciacca’s Upholstering and Design Center, turned around the revamped pieces in a mad dash. But Sciacca’s is used to tight deadlines, and special requests, though not usually from celebrities. The third-generation business, a staple in the community, marks its 70th anniversary this month, with a look back at where it came from, both literally and figuratively. It just completed a move from its nondescript two-story building on 3rd Street in Riverside to a 6,000 square foot space in an industrial park a mile away in Delran – over five times larger than its prior headquarters. A ribbon cutting with township and Chamber of Commerce officials occurred on Oct. 11, 2016.

“We’ve renovated and added on over the years, but we really outgrew that space a long time ago,” says Sciacca’s Upholstering president, Sandra Sciacca, whose grandfather founded the company in his garage in 1946 before moving into its longtime facility next door.

Louis Sciacca had just moved from Philadelphia where he’d been working as a tailor and an upholsterer’s apprentice. Soon after the move to Burlington County, he began his own company, with his wife Rose doing all the sewing. They primarily offered residential upholstering, but later began taking on commercial projects.

It was during the second generation that business really took off, however.

“Boscov’s and Sears, among others, were selling upholstery services, and through some designer connections my parents had, they were able to capture a lot of that work,” says Sciacca of Marylou, her mother, and Salvatore, her father. “There was a second location on the Main Line for sales, and we had a full second shift running in production.”

Today, Sciacca’s Upholstering has eight employees including Sandra Sciacca, annual revenue of around $750,000 and four divisions: residential/commercial upholstery; onsite cleaning services for upholstery and window treatments; professional services, for law offices and dentist and doctor offices, among others; and an auto and marine division. Boats need new upholstery quite frequently, Sciacca notes.

And Sciacca’s remains a fully family-run business. Sandra Sciacca and her husband, Paul Costello, whose title is vice president, have been working together for the past 32 years.

“Everything is a joint effort, and we wouldn’t be where we are without each other’s efforts,” Sciacca says. “My husband is a critical part of our success.”

Although it serves clients within a 60-mile radius of its location, including the Jersey shore, Sciacca’s Upholstering is deeply tied to the riverfront towns it has called home. Sandra Sciacca has served as president of the Riverside Business Association for the past five years, and is secretary of the Delran Business Association. She also chairs the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Voice of Business Awards program.

Through these business groups, Sciacca Upholstering has been active in giving back to the community, raising funds for annual scholarships and other local needs, including an electronic sign to replace the community information board in downtown Riverside. Currently, Sciacca is helping to raise funds for a proper K-9 vehicle for Nikko, a Riverside police dog.

“Being active feels good and is a vital part of our success,” Sciacca says. “We rely on word of mouth. Many of our friends and neighbors have become clients, and have referred us. They know we’re anchored to the area, and after 70 years aren’t going away.”

That long heritage will become a symbolic part of the new, more modern location, as artifacts including vintage tools, rulers and an account ledger will be on permanent display. And that ribbon cutting? A patched up, 1940s-era upholstery scissor will do the honors.

Sciacca’s Upholstering and Design Center will celebrate its new home with an open house Oct. 20-22, 2016, at 1812 Underwood Blvd., Suite 5, Delran. The three-day event will include special pricing, prizes, giveaways and informative design sessions. All are welcome to attend. For more information about Sciacca’s, visit www.sciacca.com.