Fortunoff Backyard Store began in 1922 when Max and Clara Fortunoff started selling housewares from a pushcart in Brooklyn. Today, it’s America’s largest specialty outdoor furniture retailer with 30 locations across six northeastern states, offering patio furniture and outdoor accessories.
When you think about creating the perfect backyard space, you want furniture that lasts and a company you can trust. Fortunoff Backyard Store has spent over 100 years earning that trust, growing from a small Brooklyn pushcart operation into America’s largest specialty outdoor furniture retailer. This isn’t just another furniture store with generic offerings. It’s a family story that spans generations and continues to help people make their outdoor spaces feel like home.
A Brooklyn Beginning
The year was 1922, and Max and Clara Fortunoff wheeled a pushcart filled with pots and pans down Brooklyn’s streets toward the Livonia Avenue Market. They called their mobile shop Fortunoff, and it marked the start of something special. Max had emigrated from Russia with his family in 1907 and learned the housewares business from his father after World War I. When he married Clara Wichner on February 19, 1922, they decided to start their own venture together.
Their first child, Marjorie, arrived in 1923, followed by two sons, Lester in 1927 and Alan in 1932. As their family grew, so did their business. What started as a single pushcart eventually became eight storefronts along Livonia Avenue, all tucked under the elevated subway tracks. People loved shopping at Fortunoff because they found quality products at fair prices, served by people who actually cared about helping them.
Growing Through Generations
The Fortunoff children didn’t just watch their parents work. They joined the business and brought their own ideas to the table. Marjorie married Harry Mayrock, founder of the Mayrock Silver Company, and together they expanded the housewares selection while opening new stores around Brooklyn. Her brother Lester found his niche in outdoor furniture and holiday decorations. Alan and his wife Helene had different plans. They wanted to take Fortunoff upscale.
Marjorie and Clara recognized Helene’s talent for choosing merchandise, which she developed while managing departments like shower curtains and luggage. With the business thriving and their children successfully running different departments, Max and Clara retired in 1957. They left Alan and Marjorie in charge while they focused on their favorite products: cookware and window accessories.
By the 1970s, Fortunoff had become one of Long Island’s best-known stores, expanding to Paramus, New Jersey, and opening a flagship location on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The company became famous for high-end china, silverware, home goods, and jewelry. An advertising campaign featuring actress Lauren Bacall made the tagline “Fortunoff’s – the Source” a household phrase across the New York area.
Challenging Times and New Beginnings
Success doesn’t always last forever, and Fortunoff faced its share of struggles. The Fortunoff and Mayrock families sold a 75% interest to private equity firms in 2005. Things got worse from there. On February 4, 2008, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was sold to NRDC Equity Partners for $100 million. The new owners promised big investments and expansion, but those plans never happened. By 2009, the stores were closing and assets were being liquidated.
But the Fortunoff family wasn’t ready to give up on their name. In July 2009, the brand and intellectual property were reacquired by David Fortunoff and members of the Fortunoff and Mayrock families. They wanted to bring back what made Fortunoff special. In September 2009, they reached an agreement with Furniture Concepts, LLC, allowing the company to sell Fortunoff-branded outdoor furniture and reopen the Backyard Store locations.
David Barish, CEO of Chair King Backyard Store, purchased the controlling share in Furniture Concepts LLC that same month. This created the largest outdoor furniture retailer in America at the time. Seven Fortunoff Backyard Stores were set to open across the northeast by 2010, and by 2015, twelve more showrooms had opened, bringing the total to nineteen locations. The communities that once shopped at Fortunoff welcomed it back with open arms.
What Makes Fortunoff Backyard Store Special Today
Today, Fortunoff Backyard Store operates 29 retail locations throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia. The company hasn’t forgotten where it came from. While they no longer carry cookware and other home goods, they stay true to the values that founded them: value, variety, and excellent service.
Walking into a Fortunoff showroom feels different from shopping at a big box store. Their Backyard Living Specialists wait in stores to help you find the perfect outdoor furniture for your needs and space. They’re not just trying to make a sale. They want to understand what you’re looking for and help you create an outdoor space you’ll actually use and enjoy. The showrooms themselves give you room to really see how furniture looks and feels before you buy it.
The Product Selection
The company designs collections with deeper seats, stronger frames, wider armrests, and tested durability so everyone can relax with confidence. Whether you need a small bistro set for a cozy balcony or a full dining setup for big family gatherings, they’ve got options. Collections range from the casual Rio Collection with handwoven synthetic resin wicker to the Westport Combo Dining made from solid teak wood.
Material choices matter when you’re buying outdoor furniture, and Fortunoff offers variety. You’ll find pieces in all-weather wicker, cast aluminum, extruded aluminum, and teak wood. The Venice Collection features tightly woven barnwood wicker for a look that won’t go out of style. The Soho Collection brings sleek modern lines with Sunbrella cushions. The Farmhouse Collection uses recycled high-density polyethylene lumber that stands up to weather while looking great.
But it’s not just about seating and dining sets. They carry umbrellas, outdoor accessories, cushions, and decor items to complete your backyard setup. Everything’s designed to work together, making it easier to create a cohesive look without running all over town to different stores.
Quality and Warranties That Matter
Many of their products come with 10-year warranties and feature stainless steel hardware and Sunbrella cushions in multiple configurations. That’s not just marketing talk. The company uses quality materials in all their products and stands behind what they sell, offering some of the best warranties in the industry. When a company’s been around for over 100 years, they know they need to back up their promises with action.
Stronger warranties mean better quality, and Fortunoff services manufacturer’s limited warranties on your behalf, ensuring you’ll always have someone in your corner. If something goes wrong with your furniture, you’re not stuck dealing with a distant manufacturer. You’ve got a local store that’ll help you work through the problem.
Shopping Experience
Fortunoff maintains over $20 million in inventory, so you don’t have to wait months for your new furniture. That’s a big deal when you’re ready to enjoy your backyard now, not at the end of summer. Their White Glove Delivery Service will assemble, deliver, set up, and remove any trash. You don’t need to stress about putting things together or figuring out how to haul a dining set home in your sedan.
Store hours make it convenient to shop when it works for your schedule. Most locations are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can browse online first to get ideas, then visit a showroom to see everything in person. The staff understands that buying outdoor furniture is an investment, and they give you time to make the right choice.
Pricing and Value
Fortunoff will beat any competitor’s price by 5% if you find the same item elsewhere for less within 30 days of purchase. This price match guarantee doesn’t include clearance or floor sample merchandise, but it shows they’re serious about offering value. As the largest outdoor furniture retailer, they shop the world and use their superior buying power to offer merchandise at the best values.
Their clearance section offers incredible savings on premium patio furniture, including outdoor dining sets, lounge chairs, and umbrellas. These aren’t damaged goods. Each item in their clearance collection undergoes the same quality checks as their regular inventory, ensuring you get reliable, long-lasting furniture at a fraction of the price. It’s a smart way to outfit your backyard without breaking the bank.
They also offer financing options to make bigger purchases more manageable. You can create the outdoor space you want now and pay for it over time in a way that fits your budget.
Looking to the Future
Combined with its parent company in Texas, Chair King, Fortunoff is believed to be the largest independent outdoor furniture dealer in the country. That partnership gives them strength and resources while maintaining the personal touch that made Fortunoff special in the first place. They’re not trying to be everything to everyone. They focus on outdoor furniture and accessories, and they do it really well.
The company continues to grow thoughtfully, adding locations where they make sense and where communities want them. Their mission remains simple: to make it easy for everyone to spend more quality time in their backyard. In a world where people are spending more time at home and wanting to make the most of their outdoor spaces, that mission matters more than ever.
From Max and Clara’s pushcart in 1922 to today’s network of modern showrooms, Fortunoff Backyard Store proves that good businesses can survive tough times and come back stronger. They’ve kept the values that mattered to their founders while adapting to what customers need now. Whether you’re furnishing a small patio or creating an elaborate outdoor living room, they’ve spent over a century learning how to help you get it right.
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