How Stange Furniture began.
Back in 1952, teachers Sammy Taylor & Bob Stange, were smoking cigarettes in the boiler room of Waupaca High School when they decided it would be a great idea to quit their jobs and open a furniture store. It would be called Taylor – Stange Furniture Store. Sammy was a life long Waupaca resident with lots of friends. Bob was a new comer to the area having been raised in Oshkosh. Bob who had an electronics background from the army would double as their first TV repairman.
They decided to to tell their wives Lois and Rene over a game of bridge. I can only imagine my mother saying, “you’re going to do what!!?” It was quite a risk because Sammy & Rene had 2 young boys at home while and Bob & Lois had one.
They rented this store front from Randy Hansen who had his photography studio upstairs. They sold furniture, appliances, TV’s and radios. At one point they even sold eggs. When they went all day without a sale they would go upstairs and sell Randy a pencil because any sale was a good sale.
Every June we celebrate the wild chance Sammy and Bob took when they risked their savings to open a furniture store. Risk a jaunt to Waupaca yourself because we believe you are going to love us. Discover all sorts of uncommon home furnishings designed to set your home apart. You will love what you see.
John Stange
In November of 2021 we lost our President of Stange’s, John Stange. We continue on his traditions today.
Remember those catchy TV jingles for Stange’s of Waupaca years ago? “Stange’s… when you want the very best!” Those tunes, lyrics, and the heart behind them was 100% John Stange. When asked how he handled the ups and downs of running a small business, his family will tell you, “He was the business.”
As the President of Stange’s of Waupaca, a 69-year-old family-owned and operated furniture store in Waupaca, John took his role seriously, and he loved it. If you stepped inside the store’s Washington Street entrance, you could walk downstairs to find John in his favorite section, amongst the Stressless Chairs. He had an undeniable knack for helping a customer find the perfect fit — every time.