Amish furniture store purchases 30-acre farm for warehouse space

DutchCrafters Amish Furniture recently purchased the 30-acre Pletcher Farm in Indiana to be used for warehouse space and retail needs.

The farm is a 10-minute drive from the online retailer of Amish furniture and daughter company of JMX Brands’ warehouse and outlet store in LaGrange, Indiana. It was once well known in the community for its horses, which trained on a track still there today. 

“The farm is just a few miles south of the toll road that connects Chicago to Detroit,” says DutchCrafters CEO Jim Miller in a press release. “I was born in Sturgis, Michigan, just north of the toll road. It feels ‘near home’ to me.”

In addition to the horse track, the property includes a stable, three-bedroom house, picket fences, hay fields and maple trees.

Miller says the small business is in the process of determining how the property could be used for business while also honoring the roots of the former horse farm.

“As we consider future plans for this property, we are also evaluating ways to preserve the rich history of the farm,” he says.

DutchCrafters is a retailer of Amish furniture and home décor in Sarasota. During the pandemic, the company added about 20 employees, pushing its payroll at least 50% to 61 employees through the first quarter. 

Additionally, in the 12 month period from April 2020 through this past April, the company’s revenue was up 92%, from $11.6 million to $22.3 million. The company also announced a partnership with Ponton Interiors to redesign its showroom experience that’s expected to be completed this fall.