How We Operate:
We are a custom shop: a big room, piles of wood, lots of tools, and skilled craftspeople building whatever you require. This kind of operation has been around since ancient times, but has always been a reflection of the current state of manufacturing. We overlay modern tools and techniques on traditional methods in order to bring you the best of the past and the future. Our aim is to provide beautiful, durable, and practical furniture at a reasonable price. We are happy to answer questions of any type, so if you can't find what you need at the FAQs then give us a call or email us. We're not a huge company, so you will speak to a real person (probably Paul Downs) when you call.
Brief History:
Paul Downs started making furniture in 1986, in a small shop in Manayunk. Over the years we have outgrown 4 other shops and we now operate a 33,000 square foot shop in Bridgeport, PA. Most of our work is for commercial clients, but we do a few residential jobs every year as well. We specialize in large conference tables and credenzas.
Links to Paul's writing:
Paul Downs writes about small business issues for the New York Times. He is one of several writers for the "You're The Boss" blog. You can see the current issue here:
New York Times: You're the Boss
and here are Paul's posts:
New York Times: Paul Downs Posts
Shop Tour Video:
If you have a little spare time, you can see Paul give a tour of the shop. (This video was taken in the spring of 2005.) Here's the link:
Paul Downs Shop Tour
Our Other Website: For many years we specialized in residential furniture, and our old website contains examples of that work. Please note that this site has not been maintained and that the prices are not up to date.
www.pauldowns.com