A&W Furnishings

A&W Furnishings: It All Started with a Broken Bench

Walk into a well-designed shul, school, or community building, and it’s easy to appreciate the finished space without thinking about everything that went into creating it. Comfortable seating, properly spaced aisles, custom millwork, and carefully crafted furnishings all work together to shape how people experience the building; often without anyone noticing the details.

For A&W Furnishings, those details are where decades of experience make the greatest difference.

With roots dating back more than 50 years, A&W Furnishings has built a reputation for designing and supplying custom furniture and millwork for shuls, schools, hotels, mikvahs, and commercial institutions. What began with handcrafted shul furniture has evolved into a full-service company providing everything from seating and bookcases to bimahs, coat rooms, doors, stages, and architectural millwork for projects throughout the Tri-State area and around the world.

Ironically, the company’s story began not in the furniture industry, but in a motorcycle factory. Founder Mr. Aronowitz noticed that the wooden furniture in his shul continually required repairs. Drawing on his experience working with metal, he combined steel construction with quality woodworking to create furniture that would withstand years of daily use. More than three decades later, many of those original installations remain in service, a reflection of the durability that continues to define the company today.

That philosophy has remained unchanged as the business has grown.

Today, Menachem Weinstock leads the company, bringing decades of experience in institutional furniture and millwork. While A&W once manufactured everything in-house, the company shifted production to carefully selected manufacturing partners several years ago. The change allowed the team to focus more closely on design coordination, project management, and customer service; areas Menachem believes are just as important as the furniture itself.

Designing a successful project requires far more than producing attractive furniture. Every measurement influences how people move through a space. A bench that’s slightly too deep, an aisle that’s too narrow, or a row that’s positioned incorrectly can affect comfort and functionality for decades.

After furnishing countless institutions, A&W has developed an understanding of these details that only comes through experience. The team regularly works alongside architects, designers, contractors, and community leaders, offering recommendations that help avoid costly mistakes before construction is complete.

“We know what works,” Menachem explained. “Sometimes we’ll tell a customer not to do something because we’ve already seen how it plays out.”

The industry itself has changed significantly over the years. Projects that once focused almost entirely on durability now emphasize aesthetics as well. Designers are increasingly involved from the earliest planning stages, with customers seeking premium finishes, custom wood species, and furniture that complements the architecture of the space. A&W has adapted alongside those changes while maintaining the craftsmanship and longevity that built its reputation.

That commitment extends well beyond the delivery date.

Menachem recalled a project where an entire shipment of tables was completed in the wrong finish. Rather than asking the customer to compromise, A&W rebuilt the order from the ground up; even after additional changes were requested. On another occasion, the company completed an extensive hotel millwork project under an exceptionally tight deadline, delivering on schedule despite the challenging timeframe.

For Menachem, these moments reflect the company’s commitment to standing behind its work regardless of the circumstances.

Clear communication is another part of that commitment. Menachem encourages his team to anticipate customers’ questions before they arise, making every project as straightforward as possible from planning through installation.

“Don’t let the customer have to ask,” he tells his staff. “Give them the information before they need it.”

As a returning OJBA exhibitor, Menachem values the opportunity to reconnect with longtime customers while introducing A&W’s work to new builders, contractors, architects, and designers. He believes seeing the furniture in person tells a story that photographs simply cannot.

After decades of serving communities across North America and beyond, A&W Furnishings continues to focus on the same principles that shaped the company from the beginning: thoughtful design, dependable craftsmanship, and a commitment to creating spaces that will serve generations to come.