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Helpful Information
Meet The Fireside Expressions Team!
Get to know our owner, Chris, and learn a little about his background! See why he chose this line of business and why he enjoys what he does. Catch a glimpse into the outdoor lives of those who keep Fireside Expressions up to date and full of all the trendiest must-haves for your outdoor living space!
About Us
In business since 2000, but with a knowledge of fireplaces over 45 years strong, CJ's has become a leading retailer of fireplaces, fire bowls, water fountains, decor and more. We've achieved that level of success by only selling quality made products and having excellent customer service. We have a large selection of products throughout our 2 online stores - and we strive to make as many of those American Made as possible. CJ's is a small business, employing seven local residents that help to make your shopping experience as fabulous as possible.
CJ's Home Decor And Fireplaces, LLC
21701 Rte 6
Warren, PA 16365
PH: (888) 986-1535
FX: (814) 723-4187
Our Team Of Super Heroes
They're dedicated to creating a fabulous experience for our customers - from the website to delivery. They may not be able to fly faster than the speed of light, but their super capes are no less awesome.
Chris
The Boss Man
As a child, Chris could be found running though the mountains of Switzerland with his pretty braids flying in the wind behind him .... oh wait... that was Heidi. Eh, close enough! Chris was raised in Switzerland, though, and has a deep love for his homeland. And potatoes. Everything potatoes. Fries. Hashbrowns. Baked. Mashed. He loves him some potatoes!
Chris is our resident expert on all things fireplaces. With decades and decades and decades (we could go on for a long time here) of experience, he is the founder, owner, and boss man of CJ's.
Chris dreams of traveling to New Zealand again some day.
Judy
Mini-Mike's Favorite Grandma
She invokes superhuman powers to take care of payroll and paperwork - a feat that has most of us in awe! Judy takes care of her team of super heroes and heroines, making sure that everyone has what they need and understands their assignments. She has a tough outer core, but a visit from her little grandson, Mini-Mike, softens her heart like no other!
When Judy is done saving the world for the day, she prefers to be at home relaxing on her porch swing, taking care of her roses, spending time with her grandchildren.
You can win Judy's heart by taking her for a nice dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, artisan bread, and ice cream for dessert.
Holly
The Superwoman of Sales
It's a bird, it's a plane...no wait! It's our sales manager! Holly's back and ready to conquer the world of home décor marketing! She has a real passion for maintaining our customer-base, increasing production, and drawing attention to our line of terrific products. She has a flair for providing friendly customer service and helpful advice, and our clients often call and request her by name.
Holly rejoins our team with her equally super and beautiful daughter, Taylor. When she's not here at work, Holly enjoys whipping up a delicious meal for the rest of her family, including her adorable granddaughter who loves to wear Grandma's cape!
Holly loves tending her garden when she's not busy walking through the beautiful Pennsylvania wilderness.
Dana
The Maven Of Merchandise
Do you know what size lintel clamp goes on a fireplace door for a 36" fireplace with a 2" overlap? No? Have no fear - Dana sure does! In fact, she knows a lot about our products (and if she doesn't know, she'll find out for you)! We ended up installing a phone booth in our office so she can quickly change into her super gear and fly off to help customers in need.
You'd think that she'd get tired after using her super powers all day long at work, but she continues to be pretty darn super at home too! She's a mom of 2 kids, 2 dogs, a cat, and a fish. And as if that isn't super enough... she volunteers at the humane society in her spare time! Phew! We're tired just watching her!
Dana loves going for rides with her husband and friends on their motorcycles on the weekends.
Jenifer
The Wonder Woman of the Written Word
Jenifer flies across the websites like a speeding bullet, fixing broken sentences and repairing grammatical errors. Her hands type out a siren's song on the keyboard that translates into descriptions of our products so beautiful, they make us cry. From social media to newsletters, product descriptions to information pages - Jenifer has an incredible gift when it comes to the written word.
When Jenifer isn't here at work stunning us with her writing, she's at home chasing after her 3 dogs, 2 kids and husband. She has a fondness for pulling teeth ... perhaps that is why the dogs, kids and husband are running??? No worries - it's only hugs she plans on doling out to them!
Jen's dream is to fly off to Scotland one day.
Mike
The Marvel of Maintenance & Mailing
Mike can often be found playing a little air guitar as he zips around the warehouse filling orders and shipping them out. In the summer when he's not channeling Foo Fighters while packing up boxes for Fed Ex, he can be found mowing the lawn. During the grueling winter months, he shovels, plows, and stokes the coal furnace to keep all of us in the office warm and cozy.
Mike loves having barbecues, playing softball, and playing with his kids.
Mike is the daddy to Mini-Mike, our little mascot and all around adorable little boy.
How CJ's Came To Be
- As told by the owner, Chris -
I have over 50 years living, learning and developing fireplace solutions.
Growing up in Küsnacht, Switzerland, we heated with a 1950's Kachelofen tile wood stove. I helped collect sticks and cut firewood. The stove was our only means of heat.
1970's
I began a machine mechanic apprentice program. Learning to create mechanical parts from the ground up. Working as a certified machinist for 11 years laid the ground work for my fireplace business.
1989
I joined Ruegg Cheminee, a leading fireplace manufacturer in Switzerland. Starting as a CAD designer helped me understand the working components of fireplaces. I created and tested fireplaces and stoves, ensuring they were high quality, safe and energy efficient.
1996
Ruegg expanded to Somerville, NJ, creating Ruegg Fireplaces Inc. I moved from Switzerland to Somerville without knowing any English. I knew fireplaces, though, and I knew I could help people heat their homes safely.
The first two things I learned when I moved to the US, were English and U.S. fireplace engineering. I began revamping existing fireplaces, making them safer and more energy efficient.
I helped people by installing new or converting old fireplaces and stoves into newer, safer ones.
1999
Ruegg Cheminee regrouped back to Europe. I had to make a choice. Stay in America or go back to Switzerland.
2000
People started calling my house asking for help.They needed help with their fireplaces. Help with heat renovations and more. How could I say no?
With $200 and a car, my wife and I began helping people. CJ’s was born - my dream became a reality with FireplaceEnclosures.com.
Within a short time CJ’s grew into an 1800 square foot space. We created new and renovated fireplaces settings and we loved it!
But we were splitting our time between Hillsborough, NJ and family in Warren, Pennsylvania.
2005
Finally, we made a permanent move to our current location at 21701 Route 6 Warren, PA 16365. We have a 2000+ square foot showroom, plus a separate outdoor area for customers to browse.
Today
We sell fireplaces, stoves, fireplace doors, replacement glass, outdoor decor and numerous accessories online and from our local showroom.
I'm always looking for quality American made products for our customers.
Last updated on February 12th 2021.