Will Keehart, Founder

Hartley Furniture Galleries began as Keehart's Furniture on Dec. 9th, 1929 when William (Will) Keehart and George Hatton formed a partnership and began operating a storage business. The original location was 319 N. Lafayette just two blocks North of the present day Post Office

Fred & Jane Hartley, 1965

Fred Hartley began working for Mr. Keehart in 1959 and in 1977, he and his wife Jane Hartley purchased the entire business.

Keehart Furniture Building-Past

They began selling new and used furniture and appliances, then in 1948, Mr. Keehart purchased Mr. Hatton's interest and the name Keehart's Furniture was continued until 1979. In 1948, Bill Lovell and Widgie Lovell (Mr. Keehart's daughter) took over the management and day to day operations of the furniture store. They expanded the furniture business in the mid 1960's to include sales of musical instruments, electric guitars and amplifiers. Although retaining ownership and management in Keehart's, eventually the Lovell's moved the musical business to another location and opened what is presently known as the Vox Box. The original location of Keehart's Furniture had approximately 10,800 square feet of showroom space and served as a warehouse from 1979 until July 1991 when the building was razed.

Hartley Furniture Galleries-Present

In 1979, Mr. Hartley bought the former Wilkerson-Hershberger Funeral Home located at 400 S. Odell from the Odell Avenue Medical Clinic. The facility was remodeled and adapted to a furniture business with an added building to give the new location a total showroom of approximately 13,000 square feet. Upon relocating to Odell Street, Keehart's Furniture was then changed to Hartley Furniture Galleries. Ironically, the present location of Hartley Furniture Galleries is adjacent to what was Will Keehart's residential home.

In October of 1999, Todd Hartley and his wife Wendy purchased the business.