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Two years ago, Titus Abraham and his wife and two boys relocated from Central Pennsylvania to Columbus, North Carolina, bringing with him his custom-designed handcrafted furniture business, the Titus Abraham Furniture Company. 

Abraham, who has no formal training, began working with wood roughly a decade ago. He was inspired by his father and grandfather, who was a carpenter by trade, and a dining room table built by his grandfather for Abraham’s parents as a wedding gift. While his father didn’t have a woodworking background, he influenced him in other ways. 

“My father was an unbelievable role model,” Says Abraham.  “He was quiet, and his appreciation for quality and substance was evident in his work and the products he purchased. My dad sought out quality and didn’t mind paying for it. I like to think I create things he would have appreciated. If I can manage that, I’ll be ok.”

His journey to full-time carpentry began by doing repairs around his house, which led to him making pieces for himself. Abraham found he enjoyed the work, so he decided to go into it full-time. He started his company by producing several custom pieces for a brewery near his home. He then began focusing on working at private residences and on various hospitality projects. 

Soon after, the Abraham family decided to move to Columbus to be nearer to his wife’s family. They had visited the area many times and found more significant economic opportunities than in Central Pennsylvania. 

Since arriving, his company has established itself quickly, and Abraham has become a regular attendee at the Woodcarvers and Whittlers Festival held in the Fall at Stearns Gym. The annual festival features local and regional amateur and professional wood carvers, whittlers, turners, and suppliers showing and selling their creations, and giving demonstrations. 

Abraham’s grandfather was an Amish furniture builder, giving Titus a strong connection to woodworking– not just because they both practice the same profession, but also because of a philosophy built around the dining room table gifted to his parents. 

“I am a firm believer that people matter,” Abraham explains. “Things don’t. But I also believe that certain things connect the people we love. And that matters a great deal. I aim to create pieces that capture your memories and connect the ones you love.”

Abraham feels that furniture is a connection to what’s important. 

“Growing up, our dining room table was one that my grandfather built and gave to my parents as a wedding gift,” he says. “Some of my favorite memories as a kid are of our meals around that table. My dad passed away at a young age, so my kids never got to meet him. This table is significant because of the memories it holds for me, but perhaps more importantly, the connection it creates between my dad and my kids.” 

A dining room table wedding registry based on this philosophy is one of the company’s most popular products and gift ideas. A group of friends or relatives can gift a table to a couple, pooling their money to pitch in to purchase a gift that will last generations. 

The process of building one of these tables begins with a discussion with the customer, and starts with putting pencil to paper. At this point, customers explain what they are looking for and talk over ideas. Then, a slab of wood is selected from a local mill. Each detail is finalized, and Abraham takes the specs and builds the table from scratch. Titus Abraham Furniture Company also crafts various other pieces in a similar process, including barstools, chairs, desks, and office furniture. 

“We don’t use a catalog. That’s one of the things that set us apart,” Abraham says. “So much life happens around the dining room table. We want to provide for customers a table designed and built just for them and can’t be found anywhere else.” 

The family-owned business is also preparing to move into a more extensive facility in 2023, providing more room for storage and tools. Abraham primarily works by himself, but his wife Rita helps with day-to-day operations, occasionally sanding and finishing a piece and even running a saw now and then. Their two boys are also glad to jump in and help when they can, even at a young age. 

The Abraham family has fallen in love with Columbus and the Foothills since they moved here, even though it can get a little colder than they expected. They are quick to share how wonderful everyone in the area they’ve met has been to them.

Abraham’s sales pitch for his company is simple. “If someone is looking for a lovely hand-crafted piece of furniture that will have special meaning to them because it was constructed for them, they’re not going to be able to find anything like that in a store.”

For more information on the Titus Abraham Company and their handmade furniture, visit their website at thetitusabrahamcompany.com, or they can be reached at (570) 541-3745 or by email at titus@thetitusabrahamcompany.com. 

 

Photography courtesy of Rita Troyer