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1896 — 1912 Samuel BerkowitzSamuel Berkowitz establishes his first store on Petticoat Lane, London. The store, S. Berkowitz, Master Cabinetmaker, has three employees. |
1896 — 1912 New BeginningsSamuel migrates to Melbourne in 1912, followed by his wife and four children a year later. In 1919, with the help of his three boys, Izzie, Wolfe and Barney, Samuel starts building furniture out of a small factory behind Melbourne’s Prahran Market. The business becomes Berkowitz & Sons. |
1896 — 1912 The Next GenerationThroughout the ’30s and ’40s the Berkowitz brothers gain a reputation for fine craftsmanship. Samuel remains heavily involved in the business until the late 1930s. He has his own workbench in the factory until his passing in 1942. |
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1947 — 1961 Berkowitz Fine FurnitureIn 1947, the brothers move into retail. With the help of their children (each brother has one son) they open a store at the front of the Malvern Road factory in 1947, followed by the Collins St store in 1949. By the mid-1950s, the Collins St store is booming. |
1962 — 1978 Scott Berkowitz FurnitureWolfe’s son Lionel opens the Little Collins St store in 1962. With the Berkowitz name associated with exclusive fine furniture, Lionel seeks a value message when he renames the store Scott Berkowitz Furniture. (Fun fact: there has never been a Scott Berkowitz in the family!) In 1970 the first suburban store opens in Nunawading. |
1978 — 1986 Expanding Our Retail FootprintAs furniture manufacturing in Australia becomes uneconomical, the business shifts its focus to retailing. Our first three suburban stores open in the ’70s: Nunawading, Preston and Cheltenham. This expansion continues throughout the ’80s. |
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1987 —2020 The Fourth GenerationIn 1987, Lionel’s son, the youngest of four children, begins working with the company. Peter starts in the warehouse and works his way up. Over time he moves into sales before gradually taking control of the business. The “Scott” part of the name is dropped as the business modernises into the Berkowitz Furniture we know today. |
2020 — Today The Fifth Generation ArrivesPeter has three children. |
The Future The Way ForwardStanding still has never been an option for the Berkowitz family. So in 2022, we created SOFACRAFT by Berkowitz, a range of stylish and comfortable sofas designed and handcrafted in Melbourne. Then in 2023, we took another step into the future by acquiring the uniquely contemporary homewares and furnishings retail brand, Fenton & Fenton. |
