Furniture Gallery Offers More of the Same

Making changes to remain viable in the marketplace is common for many businesses, but Light-Parker Furniture and Interior Design, located at 100 Fayette Street in Conshohocken, has experienced sustained success largely by staying the same.

In 1943, Frank Parker launched Light-Parker with a focus on high quality 18^th Century home furnishings with a commitment to carrying fine, American merchandise. Despite the modernization of their rival showrooms, Light-Parker’s focus remains the same nearly 70 years later.

“The classic designs, they never go out of style,” said Steve Vecchio, Parker’s great nephew who has worked 27 years in the industry and has served as owner and operator of the Light-Parker for the last 14 years. “Today, many other showrooms are leaning toward the contemporary and transitional, and while we offer some of that, overall we’ve kept the timeless furnishings.”

Even more important, Vecchio has remained committed to carrying pieces from American manufacturers.

“A lot of other galleries, places like Raymour and Flanigan, they get many of their furnishings overseas,” he said. “All of our product is made here in America, and it’s all customizable. You can come in and pick out a sofa and then you can go pick out a fabric, and we’ll have a piece specially made for you.”

This concentration on customer service has allowed Light-Parker to not only outlast many other family-owned furniture stores, but also to thrive and expand beyond the main 15,000 square foot showroom. Eight years ago, the store opened Light-Parker Kids Furniture, a second location just down the street at 128 Fayette Street that focuses solely on furniture for babies, adolescents and teens. And just two years after that, they opened a second showroom in Bridgeport.

“We needed more space, because we like to showcase full displays so customers get a chance to actually see what they are buying,” Vecchio said. “So much furniture shopping today gets done online, but having all this space allows people to actually come in and sit in a chair or lay on a sofa.

“When it comes to furnishing, people want to see it, touch it, sit on it. You can buy something online, but you won’t really know the content, won’t know what you're really buying, and that can result in disappointment. Having all this space, avoids that.”

Vecchio resides in the Manayunk/Roxborough area, but is more than happy to have his main base of business in Conshohocken, especially considering the recent demographic shifts he sees occurring in the area.

“Conshohocken used to be a very family-oriented area, but now it’s also getting to be a trendy place and we are benefiting from that,” he said. “House prices are going up and better quality income is coming in, which obviously helps. It’s also nice to be right on Fayette, so when people come to hang out in the pubs or go to a restaurant, we are right there for them to stop in and take a look around.”

For more on Light-Parker Furniture and Interior Design: www.lightparker.com