The History of Porch & Patio in Connecticut

Porch & Patio has been a staple in the Connecticut area for nearly 70 years. We are known as the go-to high-end outdoor furniture store in the Greater New Haven area and we are proud of our reputation. While our values and commitment to quality have remained the same throughout the years, our history is rather interesting.

The Original Store

Sid and Hilda Teitelman opened the first Porch & Patio in 1951. The business quickly flourished because customers knew they could count on Porch & Patio to sell quality outdoor furniture at a reasonable price. Over time, the brand grew to six locations, with the original Orange location remaining the brand’s headquarters. However, when the Great Recession hit, the high-end patio furniture industry took a big hit since it was not considered a necessity.

Heitmann’s History with Porch & Patio

Jeff Heitmann was an employee at Porch & Patio since 1990. He worked his way up to becoming the Vice President of Operations and was with the company until the doors closed in 2006. But he always dreamed of resurrecting the brand when the economy would support it. His opportunity came in 2010, when the original Orange location became vacant yet again. Today, Jeff owns the sole Porch & Patio location in Orange, Connecticut, where he stays true to the foundation Sid built while also incorporating modern and fresh touches into the brand.

The New Porch & Patio

Past customers of Porch & Patio were thrilled when it came back to Connecticut, and they couldn’t wait to get their hands on the fairly priced outdoor furniture that would last for generations. Occupying 6,400 square feet, our showroom displays the finest offerings in the outdoor furniture world, including aluminum dining sets, teak deep seating collections, wicker rockers, and so much more.

Additional Porch & Patio locations are not off the table, but for now, Jeff wants to focus on building up the customer base of the Orange location. He spends his time ensuring the store retains the comforting, friendly feel of the original location while bringing all of the latest outdoor furniture trends to the people of Connecticut.

To see the beauty of the showroom for yourself, visit our Connecticut showroom today—there’s a chance you may even get to meet Jeff, as he can often be seen in the store making floor changes or getting to know his customers.