Southington

Beloved furniture store in Southington closing after 98 years in business

Third-generation owners Joseph and Pamela DePaolo say after four decades of running the family business, it's time to retire.

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In the market for a new couch or kitchen table? A generations-old furniture store in Southington is selling everything they have before they close in the spring.

They're calling it their "retirement sale." Val DePaolo Home Furnishing has been in business since 1926. However, the current owners say after more than four decades of running the family business, it's time to retire.

In the front windows are colorful signs that read "Everything Must Go!" and "Final Sale!"

"I hate to leave all our wonderful customers because we have so many loyal customers," Pamela J. DePaolo said.

After 43 years, Depaolo said she and her brother Joseph would like to pursue other passions.

"We decided after all this time, I had been in it long enough, and I would like to go back and pursue my music again," Depaolo said.

In her early life, DePaolo had plans to pursue a career in opera and music. But after some time, she went back to school for interior design and took over the store with her brother once her parents retired from the business.

"Joe and Pamela are super people," Leo Dowd, of Plantsville, said.

Dowd became familiar with the store when he moved to Southington as a child in 1957. Today, he lives in Plantsville and a lot of the furniture in his home is from Val DePaolo, something he and his late wife would buy together.

"Chairs, tables, you name it. She was the one to renovate my house probably every two years, get a new something," Dowd said.

Pamela said she has new, high-quality couches, lamps, dining room tables and bedroom sets. Most are marked down or on clearance.

"You could almost kind of smell and taste the history," said Peggy Suzio, who remembers walking into the store with her mother a few years ago. "You can tell it was around for a while and it was meaningful. They had a lot to offer."

Pamela said there's $2.5 to $3 million worth of furniture on the floor in their two buildings. The business is expected to stay open until May or early June.

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