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Wood Whims in Montoursville closing soon after 41 years in business

After 41 years in business, Wood Whims in Montoursville is closing up shop.

According to Chris Sauers, owner of the furniture store, she will be retiring.

"I am 76 years old. I think it's about time," Chris said.

Located at 4520 Lycoming Mall Drive, Wood Whims sells unfinished wood furniture, including kitchen cabinets, dining tables, bar stools, living room furniture, entertainment centers, kitchen cabinets, bookcases and more.

"It's all solid wood, and people say that is unusual these days," Chris said.

She is particularly proud of the fact that all Wood Whims' merchandise is free of particle board.

At the moment, Chris is not quite sure when she will close the doors for good. That will depend on when the bulk of the furniture is sold, but she estimates it will be near the end of this month. The wood furniture that remains is now on sale, with discounts up to 50% off.

"It's almost empty now," Chris said.

As Chris surveys the 4,000 square foot showroom, she takes stock of what she still has.

Two hall trees particularly stand out. They have hooks for hanging coats and a bench with storage inside. Then there is a daintily sized desk with a chair. Those, and all the pieces, are free of any stain, but Chris points out that she is happy to apply stain for customers.

"It's fun to start out with a piece and make it beautiful," she said.

Chris can often be found in the store's lower level, where she applies stain and often invites customers downstairs to look at different stain options on varied types of wood.

"Lately, more people are apt to pay me to do it," she said.

That was the case years ago, when one customer asked her to match the stain of a previously purchased stained piece from Wood Whims to a newly purchased piece from the store. When Chris managed to make a perfect match, she was happy to meet her customer's needs.

For Chris, the work has been rewarding at Wood Whims but the people who have come through her doors are why she has stayed open for so long.

"I have met so many people who have become friends," she said.

Chris and her late husband, Bill, started the business with Bill's parents, Ethel and Ken Sauers, in 1982, at a location near the Triangle Tavern in Williamsport.

Then, in 1986, Bill's parents retired, leaving Bill and Chris to run the business.

Not long after that, Chris bumped into a high school friend at the supermarket and asked her, "Would you like to babysit some furniture?"

That friend was Connie Cressman, who gladly accepted the babysitting position and became a part of the Wood Whims family.

"She is just a dear person all the way around," Chris said of Cressman, who retired five years ago.

In 1996, the Sauers relocated the business to the current Montoursville store.

After Chris' husband of 46 years passed away in 2016, she became the sole owner of Wood Whims.

She credits Bill with great business smarts and being a hard worker. While he worked at Primus full-time, he also managed to man the store nights and weekends.

Chris is now making plans to embrace her retirement after Wood Whims is shuttered for good.

"I have grandkids and kids that live here and I have done art work in the past and I enjoy being out in nature," Chris said.

But before she closes up shop, she has one thing she would like to share with the countless customers who have come through her doors.

"Thank you, thank you and thank you," Chris said. "The customers have been terrific. I really enjoyed them and being around them."