Why are we called the Center of the World?

No, it's not an ego trip. Actually, a bit of history is behind our choice of name.

When we opened our first shop in New Troy in 1976, the town's old general store had recently abandoned its usage of the name Center of the World. This was a great opportunity for us. We enjoyed the sound of the name (who wouldn't?), but even more than that, we appreciated the deeper meaning behind it.

Hosea Tirrel and his wife outside the Center of the World General Store, circa 1860. The Tirrels sold everything from needles and pins to cross-cut saws and logging chains.

Hosea Tirrel, owner of the original Center of the World, once said, "Wherever you are is the center of the world." And he had a sign on the wall of the general store that read, "If you can't find it at the Center of the World, seek no further." Those two comments pretty much summed up Hosea's philosophy of life, which he liked to share as he whittled on the front porch of his store. His customers knew that whether they were looking for the meaning of life or a nickel novel, they could find what they wanted at the Center of the World.

Since 1976, we've moved our showroom from New Troy to Sawyer. But our shop is still in New Troy, and our philosophy is still firmly rooted in the Center of the World. You'll see its evidence in the heirloom quality furniture we create and promote. And you'll see it in the way we care for our customers.

So if what you're looking for is a finely crafted piece of furniture or home accent, and the kind of service you can only find in a mom-and-pop store, seek no further. What you want is at the Center of the World.

Lorraine and Terry Hanover