GET DIRECTIONS
“Good Furniture never changes, as long as there is
still a passion for ownership. The products we offer are
as classic today as they were when we started.”
Celebrating 140 Years of Serving the Chattanooga Community
Fowler Brothers has built a long-standing reputation rooted in a deep commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and customer service. Known for their dedication to helping people create beautiful, comfortable homes, the company has consistently offered thoughtfully curated furniture selections that blend timeless style with enduring value. Over the years, they have evolved with changing design trends while staying true to their core values of integrity, excellence, and personal connection with their customers.
Through generations of family leadership, Fowler Brothers has remained a trusted name in the home furnishings industry. Their emphasis on lasting relationships—with customers, employees, and community partners—has helped them grow and adapt in an ever-changing market. Whether expanding services, enhancing showrooms, or embracing new technologies, Fowler Brothers continues to prioritize the experience of every customer who walks through their doors.
1885
James G. Sterchi began his entrepreneurial journey by selling goods door-to-door in East Tennessee using a horse-drawn buggy.
1886
James and his brother, John Calvin Sterchi, opened a furniture store in Knoxville, marking the Sterchi family’s initial foray into the furniture business.
1911
John Calvin Sterchi, along with his son-in-law, John O. Fowler, expanded the business by establishing Sterchi Brothers and Fowler in downtown Chattanooga, adjacent to the Tivoli Theatre at Seventh and Broad Street.
1926
Sterchi Bros. & Fowler were named “The South’s Greatest Furniture and Music Stores” and were recognized for furnishing 23 hotels throughout the southeastern United States, including locations in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.
1930
The Fowler Brothers Company was incorporated in both Chattanooga and Knoxville, solidifying its presence in the region.
1943
Following the death of John O. Fowler, his son, Richard Calvin Fowler, Sr., assumed the presidency of the Chattanooga company, leading until his passing in 1958.
1944
Fowler Brothers sold Westinghouse products that helped support the U.S. war effort during World War II, contributing across multiple industries through manufacturing, innovation, and supply of critical technologies.
1948
Customers lined up for “The New Fowler’s Openning” at the Broad Street location at Downtown Chattanooga, from November 4th -6th, 1948.
1953
Renovations took place at the Fowler Brothers Broad Street location in downtown Chattanooga.
1968
Richard Fowler Galleries began operations at its current I-24 location with the goal of creating a “store of rooms,” allowing customers to see exactly how a sofa, chair, or other furnishings would look in a real home setting.
1973
Richard Fowler opened his new furniture store at 1903 E. 24th Street Place, with Chappell Fowler pictured cutting the ribbon at the grand opening.
1975
Fowler Brothers expanded its operations with the opening of a new showroom at 5211 Highway 153, near Northgate Mall in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The new location featured an extensive selection of high-quality home furnishings from prominent national manufacturers. Designed to inspire, the showroom offered elegantly arranged room settings, each thoughtfully accented with stylish and carefully selected accessories.
1980
Richard Fowler Jr. opened a new furniture store in the Clemons Building at 730 Chestnut Street in downtown Chattanooga during the 1980s. This move was part of a broader strategy to expand and modernize the Fowler Brothers Co.
1980
The Patio Shop officially opens at the I-24 location as a new addition, specializing in patio and outdoor furniture to complement Fowler Brothers’ existing home furnishings business.
1981
Richard Calvin Fowler Jr. became president of Fowler Brothers Co. in 1981, marking the fourth generation of family leadership in the business. Prior to this, he had been actively involved in the family’s furniture operations, including managing Richard Fowler’s Galleries in Chattanooga.
1985
Fowler’s introduced a new way to buy furniture by offering low North Carolina furniture prices to customers without the need to leave town.
mid – 1980’s
Construction begins on an expansion of the existing showroom, which would later become the left wing and serve as the main interior furniture gallery at the current Fowler Brothers location.
1987
Richard Calvin Fowler provided furniture for visit by President Reagan. The President visited Chattanooga, TN, on May 19, 1987, delivering the commencement address to approximately 3,000 high school seniors from Hamilton County and Chattanooga city schools at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s arena.
1988
The Grand Opening of Fowler’s Furniture Plantation took place on May 19th, 1988, at the 4th Avenue location, celebrating the company’s 77th anniversary since its founding.
1990’s
To streamline operations, Richard Fowler Jr. and his wife, Sarah C. Fowler, consolidated the business, focusing on the I-24 location. Their children—Sarah Chappell Fowler, Richard Calvin Fowler III, and Walton Carter Fowler—later joined the business, bringing fresh perspectives and guiding the company into the 21st century.
1992
The company rebranded as The Furniture Shoppe and The Patio Shop. Under Brother Sister team, Calvin and Chappell Fowler. This location remains the sole store operated by descendants of the original founders.
1990’s
The Furniture Shoppe & Patio Shop were recognized for their outstanding “Delivery with a Smile” service, completing over 1,000 annual deliveries from Chattanooga to Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, and Huntsville, under the leadership of longtime employee Lester Early.
2010
The Fowler Brothers Co., doing business as The Furniture Shoppe and The Patio Shop, celebrates its 125th anniversary, marking five generations of family heritage in the furniture business in East Tennessee.
2012
The Furniture Shoppe and The Patio Shop kicked off their “Pass It Forward” holiday campaign with Toys for Tots, inspired by a 1949 family tradition of giving. Proceeds and toy donations supported Chattanooga children through the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
2016
Walton Carter Fowler is named president and chief operating officer of The Fowler Brothers Co., taking over from his father, Richard C. Fowler Jr., who becomes chairman of the board and CEO. Carter represents the fifth generation of the Fowler family to lead the business.
2020
The company rebranded back to its roots as Fowler Brothers Co. Home & Patio, highlighting its rich history of providing quality furniture to the Chattanooga area for over 135 years with an extensive campus renovation.
2025
Fowler Brothers Co. Home & Patio celebrates it’s 140th year anniversary with new indoor and outdoor renovations, celebrating it’s legacy, and brand new redesigned website.
Hear from our Satisfied Customers
“We are very pleased. Delivery was excellent and Doris helped us get a beautiful porch set”
– Mr. & Mrs. Parsons
“Very pleased and will be buying from you again !”
– Mr. & Mrs. Gloster
“The delivery was absolutely perfect and the guys who delivered them were awesome.”
– Mark St. John
“Love the furniture and the delivery team was especially professional and nice.”
– Linda Graydon
“Very professional and helpful. And we love the furniture”
– Mr. & Mrs. Gloster
“Very pleased and will be buying from you again !”
– Brian & Tracy Jones
“Very pleased! The delivery guys are great!”
– Jennifer
“Everything looks great. Sat in the chairs last evening looking at all the garden work I have to do soon LOL. The delivery team was actually early which doesn’t happen very often”
– Kathy & Randy Brooks
“Everything went well. We love the items. Austin and Patrick were awesome. Professional and friendly, I’m sure we’ll be shopping with Fowler again”
– Chad & Krysten Murray
“I am thrilled with my table. The delivery guys were wonderful!! So friendly!! Thank you so much!”
– Wendie McGinnes
