At Kauffman Lawn Furniture customers can pick from the best. According to owner David Kauffman, he chooses the best wood, poly lumber and vinyl lawn products from local wholesalers and brings them all to his shop in Berlin.

"We choose only the best," Kauffman said.

Currently, the mainstay of the store is patio furniture, but that isn't limited to tables and chairs. Kauffman Lawn Furniture sells pergolas, picnic tables, play sets, birdhouses, children's furniture, gliders, rockers and gazebos. The store also sells other smaller items such as cookbooks, children's wagons and handmade baskets.

In the last year Kauffman has seen an increase in families literally investing in their own backyards. He said some of his customers have told him they opt for buying play sets for their children instead of taking them to Disney World because it will last longer than a week vacation.

Some of the pieces available at Kauffman Lawn Furniture look like something straight out of the old Disney classic Swiss Family Robinson anyway -- big wooden boat and an airplane play sets take the idea of a regular children's play sets to another level.

Hunting cabins have also captured consumers' interests. Many of the cabins available are on display in the back of the store.

Some of the poly and wood products also come in a variety of colors that customers can combine two or three colors to personalize their furniture. Kauffman said the bright color trend has really taken off in the past two years.

Most of the items in stock at Kauffman Lawn Furniture are cash-and-carry, but customers looking for something different from what is showcased on the floor may order from magazines Kauffman has on-hand. Additionally, because the majority of inventory comes directly from local manufacturers, customers don't have to wait long to get the products they want.

Kauffman started the business 15 years ago when he was working full-time at a factory. The furniture retail shop started as a small, side venture. For eight years he and his family honed the business.
Initially the retail store was only open seasonally, but Kauffman is now able to keep the store open year-round. Though spring is his busiest season, Kauffman said he has been seeing more business through the winter.

Now four to five people run the whole operation, offering quality at competitive prices with customer-centered service.

"If you don't treat the customers right, they're not going to come back," Kauffman said. "We try to treat everyone like we want to be treated and keep everything in stock."

Kauffman Lawn Furniture delivers and sets up purchases, backing up merchandise with a money-back guarantee if a customer is not 100 percent satisfied.
The store is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and some evenings in the summer.