BACK

The Powerful Trio Behind Woods & Company
Appeared in Connections Magazine

Valerie Serine-Langan, Nettie Goldstein and Laurie Bartholme are the powerful trio behind Woods & Company, an unfinished furniture store in the heart of Dickson City, Pennsylvania. The strong connection they share with each other and their customers is just one reason Woods & Co. stands out from ordinary furniture companies. The accolades have begun to roll in. Most recently, their company was nominated for 2006 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics sponsored by the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Pennsylvania.

From an early age, Langan and Goldstein knew they would go into business together. “Nettie and I always loved to decorate. We had our own rooms. My room had orange walls with black and white on one wall, and Nettie had a very girly kind of room with blues and pinks. We created rooms to reflect our personalities,” says Langan of her childhood memory. As young girls, they shared a love for decorating that’s reflected in their shared memories of adding personal touches and flair to their own rooms. Over the years, this love deepened and evolved into a vision of a business. They knew, however, that having a vision was simply not enough-they needed to make bold moves. The two sisters began to pool their professional and financial resources together. It was only a matter of time before they felt the necessary confidence to leave their secure pharmaceutical careers to give birth to Woods & Company in 2003. And, they never looked back.

Today, Langan and Goldstein are able to express their creativity through their furniture and home accessories. Goldstein acts as the company’s interior decorator, while Langan takes care of the books. Though Langan doesn’t believe herself to be the ‘creative one,’ she says her sister, Nettie, always tells her that she is also creative. Bartholme is the resident artist and manager of Woods and Co. Bartholme graduated from Marywood University with a degree in Interior Design. The sisters of Woods and Co. support the arts and local artists. Their partnership is one of complimentary skills and unique talents that has served them well during the past fifteen years they have known each other.

What can you, as the customer, expect when you walk into Woods & Company? First and foremost, a friendly smile and warm service. Next, an expertise that will guide you in creating a room that expresses your own personal style. Do expect to be challenged to think past the norm and bring out a true personality in your rooms. Creating a sense of peace in a home that serves as a personal sanctuary is a goal of these three women. What won’t you get from Woods & Co.? A “cookie-cutter” room that is replicated throughout department store showrooms around the country.

Though their business keeps them on the move, these women still make time to give back to their community. Langan received the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2004 from the Waverly Community House. The sisters support local charities, organizations, and events by not only donating their money, but their time. Notable among the charities they continually support is the Women’s Resources Center, which provides counseling to women and children who have been victims of violence and sexual assault. Other organizations and events the sisters are involved in include the Ronald McDonald Gourmet, Jewish Community Center, and (most recently) the Timmy’s Town Center-a children’s museum dedicated to the memory of Timmy Kelly. The financial support necessary to build this children’s museum was partly raised by the auctioning of ten children’s rockers, hand-painted by area school children. “This project was especially important for all of us because Timmy left the world way too soon, and it will be a museum dedicated for all the children of our community,” says Langan of the project.

When they take a step back, the trio of Woods & Company should feel a sense of accomplishment for leading other women by their example. They encourage all women to strive for a healthy and well-balanced life in today’s chaotic world.