Gamburg's Furniture Permanently Closed In Hatboro

HATBORO, PA —The lights were on Monday night of the landmark business on South York Road.

But a look inside the store showed that it was empty. And the phone recording heard Wednesday confirmed what is now a reality.

After 94 years in business, Gamburg's Furniture is closed for good.

"Thank you for calling Gamburg's Furniture," the voice recording said Wednesday afternoon. "Gamburg's is permanently closed. We'd like to thank our customers for the last 94 years."

The store's closure means that the property could be considered for redevelopment under the borough's mixed-use Town Center Ordinance, which allows developers to construct apartments provided there is retail on the first floor.

Borough officials have yet to receive any plans about the Gamburg's property. The Borough Council approved the development of the long-dormant CVS property at its meeting Monday night.

In late January, the Hatboro Borough Council approved a mixed-use ordinance for a section of York Road from Byberry Road to Montgomery Avenue.

The ordinance allows developers to make proposals that could see building heights go to 60 feet provided they meet certain guidelines, meaning that the downtown district could have taller buildings and apartments.

In early August, Gamburg's sent out a letter to priority customers alerting them of first dibs on a sale to clear inventory.

"Dear Valued Customer and Neighbor, for 94 years and three generations, Gamburg's Furniture has been proud to serve the good people of Eastern Pennsylvania and beyond with premier home furnishing needs," the letter states. "So it is with reserved excitement that I have made the decision to retire and close Gamburg's Furniture," the letter stated.

Mayor Tim Schultz lamented Gamburg's loss to Patch Wednesday afternoon.

"I believe that anyone over the last two and three generations remembers Gamburg's as a place where their parents or grandparents bought furniture," the mayor said. "They were a Montgomery County and Bucks County institution. I'm sure they wanted to keep going forever, but there was no family member to take the baton. They did employ a lot of people and the Gamburg family was very good corporate sponsors. There are lots of good memories."

Schultz said that Gamburg's demise is a sign of the times.

"Family furniture stores have been outdated for the last 25 years," he said. "Hopefully, we will get a good developer. It's got to be the right fit. But there's going to be a transition in Hatboro for the next couple of years."