As with most young people, in the early 1900’s, the amount of time for being a “kid” was relatively brief. Young Joe Schlager graduated from 6th grade and immediately began to learn the upholstery trade, as clean-up boy, while earning money for the family.
As he matured, his knowledge and skill steadily developed. He perfected his upholstering craftsmanship over the next sixty-four (64) years, including his four (4) years as the on-site Professor of Upholstery / private tutor (if you please) to his grandson, Tim! Tim fondly recalls Pap’s favorite way of summing-up everything that he taught him over the years was to say, “The true master upholster knows, [in his trade] the devil is in the details!”
It was after Nanny Schlager died, that Tim began his four (4) year live-in / on-campus residency with Pap, as a student (if you please) of Professor Pap Schlager in Schlager Upholstery’s School of Upholstery. During the same four (4) years, Tim was also an Industrial Arts student (majoring in Woodworking) at Millersville University.
Tim married his high school sweetheart (as he loves to say) and Debbie, just like her husband, learned the upholstery business from the inside out. Over the years, she developed her major interest--- upholstery fabrics! There are countless lines of upholstery fabrics...for all purposes and pocketbooks, offering endless styles and colors, having various levels of durability and compatibility...all available to residential and commercial clients! As our Sales / Fabric Coordinator, Debbie spends her day helping clients find the special fabric that answers their specific needs / wants.
Jude added his twenty-three (23) years of sales and marketing experience to Schlager Upholstery over fourteen (14) years ago. He works closely with businesses, throughout the region, on the unique application of custom upholstery to commercial projects.
Now, Tim’s son, Bryan, who is an active junior student at Lancaster Catholic High School, also works at Schlager Upholstery, on building and grounds projects. He’s also learning that it takes more just physical strength to “move” (pick-up and deliver) furniture. All of us have learned well, what Bryan is now beginning to experience... “the devil is in the details!”
