(Chelsea Update would like to thank George Merkel for the information in this story.)
Merkel Furniture and Carpet One is celebrating 100 years of successful business this July.
‘Merkels’ as it’s known locally, has been recognized for decades around the Washtenaw County area for offering full-service flooring, interior design, fine furniture, and mattresses. The company has two locations, one in Ann Arbor at Lamppost Plaza, and the other in downtown Chelsea, where the Merkel family has been rooted for a well over a century.
Ferdinand Merkel, the son of German immigrants, started the business as a hardware and auto part supply store in 1924. Ferd was soon after joined by his younger brother, Norbert Merkel, and they ran Merkel Brothers Hardware until their retirement in the 1960s.
Ferd’s two sons, Jack and Bob Merkel, took over the business and advanced the company into the world of fine furniture and full-service flooring from the 1960s to late 1990s. Bob Merkel, who just recently celebrated his 93rd birthday, recalled that the two brothers, who both returned home from serving in the military, ‘were a good blend’ from beginning, because Jack studied business in college and Bob studied art and design.
The third-generation owners, Tim Merkel and Fred Zuidveld, took over the business in the late 1990s from Jack and Bob and guided it through the worst recession since the great depression. “Perspective is one thing I’ve learned. A career isn’t a sprint-it’s more of a long-distance race. It takes perseverance, patience, and an openness to change,” said Tim Merkel.
Starting in 2015, the company transitioned to Bob’s son Howard Merkel, and Tim’s son George Merkel. This partnership consists of the fourth generation of Merkels to take over the family business since its start in 1924.
Throughout the last century, the Merkel family has also been involved in all aspects of Chelsea life, including the Chamber of Commerce, non-profits, the public schools, and notably with the late Jack Merkel serving previously as the town’s mayor. The fourth-generation owner Howard Merkel recently stepped down from Chelsea’s Downtown Development Authority, while his business partner George Merkel is serving a four-year term on City Council.
Jack Merkel, who passed away in 2020, was often heard saying about the town, “This is three square miles where people know each other, trust each other, and when we want to get things done, we can do it.”
As far as the present day and the future, the biggest changes recently at Merkel’s have been a complete overhaul and modernization of the flooring displays at both the Chelsea and Ann Arbor locations. The new displays are a part of Carpet One’s newly integrated Room By Room program.
“The Room by Room program we finished this spring is designed to simplify and elevate the shopping experience for any of our customers that are starting a new flooring project,” said George Merkel, adding, “I think it can feel overwhelming for a lot of folks that are just starting the process, and now our new displays certainly take this sentiment into account. They are much more streamlined make the style, color, and pricing selection a lot easier for our customers. The new displays combined with our thoughtful and knowledgeable team of flooring specialists makes for a great experience.”
As a part of the anniversary celebration, Merkel’s will be having a month-long ‘Cheers to 100 Years’ promotion at both the Ann Arbor (flooring only) and Chelsea locations, where all flooring, custom furniture, clearance items, and mattresses will be on sale until the end of July.
