A Family Company with a Focus on Your Family
You want your home to be warm and inviting—a place where family and friends feel comfortable and welcomed. The right fireplace, stove, or grill can help turn that wish into reality.
We are a family-owned company, built on the unique contribution of three brothers, in operation for more than 30 years. During that time, we’ve come to understand the importance of helping you make your house a home.
The Stermer Brothers Story
The year was 1979. Jim, Jeff, and Paul Stermer joined forces to purchase chimney-cleaning equipment. Paul invested plenty of “sweat equity” while running the day-to-day operations (with support from his experience as a mason), while Jim and Jeff provided financial backing.
That initial purchase would come to be known as Stermer Brothers Chimney Cleaning.
When Jeff decided to pursue a career in culinary arts, Jim and Paul bought his share of the business.
The company grew. Customers started asking questions about fireplaces and stoves. Jim and Paul saw an opportunity for growth, so they began selling those items out of their 1965 Ford pickup truck and performing installations for their local stove shop.
The retail side of the business took off, prompting the brothers to open their first retail store on Greenfield Road in Lancaster. The store was only 800 square feet—just enough room to display 25 stoves.
It wasn’t long until they outgrew that tiny facility and purchased the old post office in East Petersburg, PA where they would expand their operation and number of offerings. They added hot tubs, gas grills, and hearth accessories to the store and changed the name of the business to Stermer Brothers Stoves & Spas.
Jeff returned to the business and soon after, the brothers purchased a 12,000-square-foot facility on Harrisburg Pike. There, they expanded their showroom, increased their offerings, and added a wholesale division (Stermer Brothers Supply). The East Petersburg building was eventually sold so operations could be consolidated at 1330 Harrisburg Pike.
Today, the brothers use their unique skills, each filling a specific role at Stermer Brothers. Jeff Stermer oversees the retail portion of the business, including the showroom and the sales department, while Paul handles delivery, installation, and service. Jim takes care of back-office operations, including financing and advertising.
All three brothers have brought their experience and education to the business: Jeff with his culinary arts and management training from The Culinary Institute of America; Paul with his masonry experience and education at Willow Street Vocational School and certifications from highly regarded HPBA programs; and Jim with his education and business degrees from Penn State University.
The blending of these complementary skillsets—combined with those of our staff’s many years of experience in the fireplace, stove, and grill business—has enabled Stermer Brothers to continue to expand their business base to include thousands of satisfied customers.