About Stegers - History & Facts

The Beginning
Steger’s Furniture was founded by Joseph Steger in 1937. Joseph immigrated to the US from Switzerland in 1905, at the age of 16, and eventually settled in Pekin, Illinois. After trying his luck with several different jobs, everything from working as a farmhand to selling paint and furniture in a department store, Joseph decided to open a store of his own. With his life savings of $1000, Joseph opened Steger Paint Co. at 420 Margaret St. in Pekin. They began selling paint, special-order furniture, wallpaper, window treatments and a variety of other home goods. Business was slow during the depression years, but Joseph was determined to be successful. He worked 6 days a week (all stores were closed on Sunday in 1937) from sunup to sundown. Joseph defined his three keys to success, which we still hold dear to this day: “Best Selection, Best Price, and Best Service.”

The 2nd Generation
Louis Steger worked in the business since it was founded and became partner in 1946. After the end of WWII the economy recovered and business boomed. Steger’s had gained a reputation for great selection, low prices and great service and it made them one of the most popular stores in the area.

New Location
With business in steady growth, Joseph and Louis Steger decided to build a larger store in a new location. In 1959, construction of the new 12,000 square foot store was completed at Steger’s current location of 818 Court St in Pekin. The name was shortened from Steger’s Paint Co to just Steger’s to reflect the selection of products sold.

Steger’s Expands
Business continued to grow through the 1960s and Louis needed more showroom to service all of the customers Steger’s was bringing in. In 1972 construction was completed on an addition to the east side of the building. This expansion more than doubled the showroom size, bringing the total showroom size to 25,000 square feet.

3rd Generation Joins the Family Business
Jack Steger joined the business in 1985 and became president in 1989.

Expansion Again
Steger’s continued to grow throughout the 70s and 80s and therefore decided another expansion was needed. Construction on a 25,000 square foot addition on the west side of the building was completed in 1990. This again doubled the size of the showroom to a total of 50,000 square feet. This made Steger’s Furniture the largest home furnishings store in Central Illinois.

Welcoming the 4th Generation
Jack’s son Bryan joined the family business in 2013.