A 167-Year-Old Wisconsin Retailer Is Closing After Generations in Business

​McKinstry's Home Furnishings, a community staple in Beaver Dam, announces closure after 167 years with a liquidation sale.

Written By Twinkle Jha
News Writer
​A storefront image of McKinstry's Home Furnishings (Source: Facebook @McKinstry's Home Furnishings)

A longtime community staple in Beaver Dam, McKinstry’s Home Furnishings, is set to close its doors. The closure marks an early-year change for shoppers in the Beaver Dam area. The home furnishing store confirmed the closure on social media and announced a liquidation sale through its website.​

McKinstry’s Home Furnishings Announces Closure

​One of Beaver Dam’s oldest family-owned businesses, McKinstry’s Home Furnishings, has called it quits. The update was shared with longtime shoppers across Wisconsin through the store’s Facebook page.

​Rick Fiegel, the President of McKinstry’s Home Furnishings, shared the news in an interview that was later posted on their Facebook. His retirement, not financial troubles, prompted the abrupt closure.

Fiegel started working at the store when he was in the ninth grade. After 59 years, the store president has decided to retire and close the store for good once everything is sold through liquidation.

Going Out of Business Sale

Although the announcement disappointed longtime customers, the store is offering a final opportunity to shop its inventory. The retailer announced a going-out-of-business sale at its Beaver Dam location on its website.

According to the announcement, the sale will offer 50 percent off marked prices from January 2 through January 4, 2026. The timing for this sale at its Beaver Dam location is:​

  • Friday, January 2 – Noon to 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, January 3 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, January 4 – Noon to 4 p.m.

​Both cash and credit cards will be accepted during the sale.

A Century-Old Legacy Rooted in Beaver Dam

​Rick Fiegel shared with loyal customers that the business first came into being in 1858 when Canadian immigrant John McKinstry arrived in Beaver Dam. During that time, the place was known as Grubville.

​A cabinetmaker by trade, McKinstry used to trade his creations with the local community. After some time, he expanded the business from cabinets and furniture to caskets. This is what accelerated the entry of McKinstry’s Home Furnishings into the funeral business.​

The funeral business was a hit with the McKinstrys running the funeral home for two generations. By doing so, they handled one of Dodge County’s largest funerals. However, the funeral home closed in the 1950s. After this, the family worked for home furnishings only.

​Since then, McKinstry’s Home Furnishings has thrived as a home furnishing store in Beaver Dam. Over the years, customers from across Wisconsin have visited the store for furniture, home décor, and custom pieces.

​As McKinstry’s Home Furnishings prepares for the upcoming liquidation sale, the goodbye will mark an end to one of Beaver Dam’s longtime family businesses and a cherished community staple.

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Twinkle Jha is a content writer passionate about crafting engaging and informative pieces for diverse audiences. She holds a degree in Journalism & Mass Communication that helps her create news-based articles related to restaurants, retail, and real estate in the US. With five years of writing experience, Twinkle has a strong base for her research, allowing her to create compelling content. Her keen eye for detail and creative approach make her writing stand out. When not working, she loves to watch movies.
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