Brody’s donates remaining inventory for fire department auction
Katie Anderson
Brody’s Furniture in Canonsburg recently moved across West Pike Street to this storefront, but closed permanently July 31. The remaining inventory was auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Brody’s Furniture in Canonsburg, which recently closed permanently, will auction its remaining inventory and donate the proceeds to the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department.
BY KATIE ANDERSON
Last month, the iconic Canonsburg furniture store, Brody’s, closed its doors for good, but they opened again Saturday during a charity auction of the remaining inventory to benefit the borough’s volunteer fire department.
“I just felt that I wanted to give something back to Canonsburg,” the third-generation owner Steve Brody said. “I wanted to have a final hurrah.”
According to Canonsburg mayor and assistant fire Chief Dave Rhome, the auction will include about 60 pieces of furniture, tables, lamps and other inventory from Brody’s. All of the proceeds benefited the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” Rhome said. “They’ve been here forever. They wanted to make sure they took care of the fire department, and we’re so grateful for their contribution.”
Last year, Arc Human Services of Washington County purchased the three-story building on West Pike Street that’s housed Brody’s Furniture since 1931. Brody then moved the store across the street into a storefront he rented for a few months at 102 W. Pike St., where the auction will be held.
“I gave it a go, and for various reasons, including the coronavirus pandemic, it wasn’t quite working out the way I wanted it to,” Brody said. “So I decided to finally close.”
Brody said he had contemplated continuing the business through a fourth generation, his son, Aaron, who’s starting his senior year of high school. Their family lives in Upper St. Clair, but Canonsburg has always held a special place in their hearts because of the furniture store.
He already donated some of the furniture to Habitat for Humanity, but the rest was part of the auction.
“When we discussed liquidating the business, he knew he wanted to give back to Canonsburg,” said Brody’s wife, Jan. “Canonsburg has been good to him. It supported a business for three generations.”