About Kipe's Krew
Kipe’s Upholstery has been family owned and operated since 1978. Alan and Mary Kipe started the business in the basement of their unfinished furniture store, Kipe’s Furniture Fair, as a sideline parttime business. When the upholstery business started growing faster than the unfinished furniture, they hired their daughter Cheryl to help with the sewing. They then made the decision to close the unfinished furniture store and move the upholstery business to their home. The business continues to grow from there.
Over 40 years and three generations later, we are still going strong. In that time, we have done several pieces of furniture multiple times, sometimes for multiple generations.
Not only can we reupholster sofas and living room chairs, we can also do your patio cushions, pillows, dining chairs, repair work, new padding and much more.
We have also branched out into commercial upholstery, doing work for many local restaurants, hospitals and businesses, bringing us a whole new customer base.
We look forward to working with you and helping you select the fabrics and padding that are right for your upholstery needs.
Hi, I’m Nancy, CEO of Kipe’s Upholstery
My parents, Alan and Mary Kipe, and my sister Cheryl, started this business over 40 years ago. After our Mother passed away in 1995, Cheryl took over the business and convinced me to come on board full time. Daddy continued to work part time, and be our Decorative Figurehead, for many years, until his passing in 2013. When Cheryl decided to retire in the spring of 2020, she passed the torch. That’s when my daughters and I took over Kipe’s Upholstery.
Our Mother felt that knowing how to sew would be very important. So I’ve been sewing since I was 6 years old and tall enough to reach the pedal of the sewing machine. Now with over 25 years in the upholstery business, I do most of the sewing for the upholstered pieces, cushions, and pillows along with helping customers design their personal look. I plan on working alongside my daughters, Becki, Mary and Katti, for many years to come. As senior owner, I enjoy being able to take time off now and then to spend with my three grandchildren, have lunch with my retired sisters and friends and travel with my husband.
Over the years, I’ve been named the Pillow Princess by our customers and decorators, but around here, I answer most quickly to “Mom”!
Hi all! I'm Becki!
I became the first of the third generation of the Krew when I came onboard full time in 2004. I started my upholstery career by helping Pap do warranty repairs for many of the local furniture stores while I was still working another full-time job. That’s when I got hooked! From repairs, I moved onto small upholstery and then onto finish trim work and brass tacks, earning me the title of Posterior Comfort Detail Specialist. Before I knew it, I was upholstering all types of furniture from antiques with tufting to commercial work like restaurant booths. Since then, I have had the honor of passing along the knowledge that Pap and Aunt Cheryl shared with me by training my sisters.
My favorite part of my job is helping clients pick fabrics that work with their homes and their life. If I’m not at the shop, you can find me riding motorcycles with my husband, playing frisbee with my dogs or watching movies with my cat.
Hi there, I’m Mary
Hi there, I’m Nancy’s Favorite Middle Daughter, named after my Grandmother, Mary. After medically retiring from the Army in 2004, I went on to receive my degree in Interior Design. I traveled to Connecticut and then South Carolina with my husband’s job until we resettled back in Hagerstown in 2015. I came to work in the family business in 2017 to help with small upholstery pieces and to help customers select fabrics for their projects. As the current L.U.V. (Lead Upholstery Vixen) I now have the honor of upholstering your larger pieces.
I am happily married to my ‘work from home’ husband and I am the mother of a young boy. My dreams and aspirations include someday going home to a clean house!
Hello, my name is Katti, CFO here at Kipe’s Upholstery
I am the youngest of Becki’s favorite sisters. I grew up in and around the upholstery shop, making buttons and sweeping floors. My Grandfather and Aunt never had a problem with child labor! In 2019 I came here to work full time. I started with stuffing pillows and cushions and have since moved on to upholstery and putting my business degree to work by taking care of the books and finances. When I am not making furniture new again, I love spending time with my two children and 3 cats. And when I find quiet time, I enjoy reading and crocheting.
My name is TJ and I am Nancy’s Favorite Sister-in-law!
Like Nancy, I started sewing at an early age. When she and my nieces took over the business in 2020, they asked me to come on board part time. At the time, I didn’t know a lot about upholstery and wasn’t sure what all I could do. They said I could help out with the sewing, tear down and small jobs. Now as a full-time employee, I still don’t do much sewing because I am kept busy cutting most of the foam for replacement cushions. I have also started working on small upholstery jobs as needed. When not at the shop, I enjoy canning, reading and sewing!
Hi, I’m Don a.k.a. Duck
I’ve had this nickname since 2nd grade and will probably have it forever! I’ve known Nancy and her husband for over 40 years. After retiring from Jamison Door in early 2020, I was honored when Nancy and the girls asked if I wanted a part time job tearing down the furniture for them. I have previous work experience in the demolition industry (neat job!!), so I thought this was appropriate! As a recent widower, I truly enjoy spending my free time with my two daughters, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. I enjoy classic rock, especially Uriah Heep, a glass of good Scotch and crusin’ in my rag top…with the top down, of course! I hope to be a part of the Kipe’s Krew, helping to restore your treasures, for some time to come. Peace and God by with You.
Hello! I'm Jessica
You can usually find me at the front desk or answering your phone calls, but I am also learning the ropes behind the scenes stuffing cushions, cutting foam and learning to sew!
I've known Nancy for several years and am so honored she and the team took me on to work at Kipe’s. I have always been a visual person and I have a pretty good eye for creative art projects. My favorite part of the job is helping our customers look for that perfect fabric for their piece, and also getting to see the look on a customers face when they see their newly redone furniture.
When I'm not working I love spending time with my husband and my dog camping, cooking and creating art projects.
Hello! I am Mr McGinley!
I stopped by Kipe's Upholstery one day in 2014 and decided to apply for the position of People Greeter. I live a pretty comfy life in the house but you will often see me outside when you come to visit our shop!
Hello, my name is Cheryl
My father and I started this business over 40 years ago. I took over the business, changing the name to Kipe’s Upholstery Shop, when he semi-retired in 1996. I began my semi-retirement in 2020 but, like my father before me, I continue to help out when I am not gardening, traveling, or taking yoga classes.
