Morehouse Appliances celebrates five generations of business

NEW HARTFORD — From world wars to a global pandemic, Morehouse Appliances has weathered it all through four generations of family ownership — with the fifth generation already on staff. The appliance retailer and servicer celebrated its 130th year in business on April 20 with an event to celebrate its decades in business, the five generations of family behind it, and the customers who have supported the business along the way. The event featured cooking demonstrations, discounts, and giveaways. “It’s kind of a big number,” owner Dan Morehouse says of why he chose to celebrate 130 years.

Henry D. Morehouse opened the first store — H.D. Morehouse — in 1894. Eventually, his son Leslie joined him working in the business before World War I took him to Europe, Morehouse says. During that time, his great grandmother helped her husband run the store until their son returned and took over. Morehouse’s father, another Henry, took over the business in 1973 after his father passed. Eventually Dan and his brother Dave took the reins from their father in 1993. “We were the first siblings in the business together,” Morehouse notes. His brother retired a few years ago, and now Morehouse’s daughter Ellie works with him as the store’s office manager. “I’m not ready to retire yet,” Morehouse says, but he’s already planning for his daughter and future generations to take over one day. The early Morehouse generations contended with two world wars and kept the business going, he says. During World War II, people couldn’t even buy new appliances because none were being made. All manufacturing efforts went toward armaments for the war, he says. However, they could bring in an old appliance to trade and purchase a refurbished one. Customers’ old appliance would then be refurbished and sold to someone else. Fast forward 75 years, and Morehouse had to contend with a global pandemic that severely disrupted supply chains for all of his products. The store remained open and still had display models because he decided not to sell them, Morehouse recalls. He believes that decision helped him continue to make sales during the pandemic. “We had back orders that it took well over a year to get them,” he says. “People were ordering, and they understood it would take a while.” It was challenging tracking those orders and managing deliveries throughout the pandemic, but they got the job done, Morehouse says. “We gained during the pandemic, and we’ve kept most of those new customers,” he adds. Morehouse credits the family value of focusing on the customer for the company’s 130-year history, including through those trying times. “We hope to go for another 130 years,” he adds. Morehouse Appliances operates from 15,000 square feet of space at 8411 Seneca Turnpike in New Hartford. The store has 11 full-time employees, including positions in sales, service, and delivery.