The KURTZ FURNITURE CO. grew to become one of the largest furniture chains in Cleveland. Founded by Isadore and Rose Kurtz, the store opened at 4319 Lorain Ave. in 1905 and always remained a family-owned and operated enterprise. By 1914 Kurtz had moved to larger quarters at 4329 Lorain and in 5 years had bought up the entire block, converting it into one of the largest stores in the area. Kurtz sold primarily to workingmen with families, offering budget terms to those with a steady job at a time when retail credit was limited to the wealthier classes. By 1968 the store had served 800,000 customers.
In the 1920s Kurtz established branch stores to serve its growing market at 9312 Kinsman and 310 Prospect and continued to prosper during the Depression. With the rise of suburban shopping centers after World War II, Kurtz followed the demographic trends and added numerous suburban branches; however, some of these expansion ventures were brief. By 1977 only the warehouse at 1281 E. 38th St., the Prospect and Lorain stores in Cleveland, and suburban branches at 6859 Southland Dr. and 5364 Northfield Rd. remained. A victim of overexpansion and an abundance of discount furniture stores, Kurtz closed its doors in 1980.