About
Founded in 1902 by Charles Edward Gerken and John R. Galpin, Galpin & Gerkin, an upholstery company specializing in repairing and reupholstering was born. Their aim was always to create high-quality custom upholstery pieces in Ohio. They benefitted from farming and manufacturing from Detroit and Cleveland, of which Norwalk sits halfway. Galpin & Gerkin was sold in 2008 during the financial crash by its fourth-generation owners. However, Norwalk was bought by 12 local families who still own it to this day to keep jobs within their town. They now employ 225 craftspeople and create over 40,000 pieces by hand each year. Norwalk is proud to be part of the “maker movement” in America and provide products that are superior to their imported counterparts.
