The Pioneer Linens Story
Pioneer Linens
4th Generation Family Owned For Over 100 Years, Since 1912
Founder Max Greenberg
Like many great pioneers, Max Greenberg in 1905 entered the U.S. through Ellis Island alone and still a teenager. He worked in New York City for several years before moving to Florida to work at Daytona Hardware. When he heard about the platting of the new town Lake Worth, he took his experience south. A typical frontier town that did not yet have electricity or running water, many inhabitants still lived in tents. In 1912, Pioneer Hardware opened its doors on Dixie Highway, in Lake Worth, Florida, selling just what pioneers would need :
- Dynamite to blow up the tree stumps
- Saw hammers and nails to build the houses
- Glass, screen and sash weights for windows
- Door knobs, hinges, and lots of white paint
- Kerosene lanterns for light
- Chicken wire, guns and fish hooks
- Wash tubs, washboards, and clothes line
As Lake Worth prospered, Max saw the opportunity to open a new line of service to locals. Basic housing had been constructed, and a growing population needed new kinds of supplies. The business moved to Lake Avenue, and by 1920 evolved into Pioneer Hardware & Furniture. Along Lake Worth’s main thoroughfare, Pioneer Hardware & Furniture gained a reputation for high quality that brought in people from great distances and made it the largest retailer in town. Max provided goods made as far away as Michigan, and featured a new item that of course shaped modern life, the electric refrigerator. Other items included :
- porcelain top kitchen tables
- ice boxes and kerosene stoves
- cooking utensils and ice cream makers
- dishes and dishpans linoleum and fiber rugs
- beds, dressers and rocking chairs
The Shape of The Pioneer Business
The shape of the Pioneer business and the lives of thousands of people were drastically changed in 1928, when a category 5 hurricane struck the east Florida coast. After the winds subsided, Max Greenberg went to the store to survey the damage. But meteorology then was not what it is now - Max had left in the eye of the storm. When the worst part of the hurricane hit, Max’s wife and children hid under a downstairs table as their home was battered and torn, and Max witnessed the destruction of his store. The Okeechobee Hurricane killed 2500 people and caused $100 million in damage. Max Greenberg was wiped out.
In the midst of the Great Depression, the family regrouped and moved a few miles north toward the burgeoning Palm Beach area in 1930. Instead of furniture, Pioneer would focus on more basic home needs such as towels, blankets, rugs, and oil cloth. Max brought in the family library of phonograph records to sell for 10 cents apiece. He traveled to New York to buy towels for 20 cents each that he would sell for 25 cents. Difficult times for businesses nationwide, Max pursued his credo of high standards in quality, inculcating his son George with the same business ethics.
2nd Generation of Pioneer Linens
Max's son, George Greenberg performed one of his first duties for the family business at age eight, riding his bike to deliver a foghorn to the Lake Worth Bridge tender. He graduated from the University of Florida, then went to the University of New York, a student of business and law. After completion of studies and with the onset of WWII, George enrolled in the U.S. Army and was put to work speechwriting. He then worked in the quartermaster to improve army base living conditions, and went into POW camps to inspect living standards. George was also a part of the development of two products that came out of the wartime inventiveness :
- The army needed a substitute for rubber. George and his group developed Neoprene.
- The army wanted a drink to transport. As he says, “I think they call it Nescafe today”, George and his group had created instant coffee.
George Greenberg returned from war and took the helm of Pioneer Linens. His quick insight would change merchandising and lead the company to become the global brand it is today. Two creations represent his clairvoyance:
When an soldier got out of the shower, there was a wall of clean towels to grab from. This wall, George saw, would be a perfect way to stack many color and style options of towels for sale. He built the first merchandising towel wall, which resonated with customers in selection. This soon brought the executives of major federated department stores to see the talk on Clematis St, and now of course a wall full of towels in cubbies is the method of display you may find in any bath store across the country.
The coordinating fabric around the foot of the bed had always been known as a Dust Ruffle. George liked a more positive term, and began calling it a bed skirt. Bed skirt is now the term of choice in much of the country and across the soft goods industry.
Pioneer Linens In The Heart of Downtown West Palm Beach
Clematis Street To The World
Over the decades, George brought in bright managers to further the austerity of the Pioneer Linens name. Leading store designer William Stensgaard revamped the interior and storefront facade. Edward Osborne crafted unique hand drawn linen displays that would be acclaimed for their pictorial presentation in newspaper ads. George Warren stated his goal of “making Pioneer Linens the most prestigious linen store in the South”, culminating in Pioneer Linens being awarded “Specialty Store of the Year 2004” status by the National Bed and Bath Association representing 2400 stores.
George Greenberg continued to be involved in the business until his death in 2007, at 93 years old. Always in a full suit and addressing employees and patrons alike with a formal Mr. or Mrs. title, George Greenberg treated everyone with a great deal of respect. His was the type of persona that gained your respect and simultaneously made you feel better about yourself. He was named in 2006 “Mayor of Clematis Street” for his 92th birthday by Mayor Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach, one among many honors he received during his lifetime. George ingrained his only daughter, Penny Murphy, with the same values of high product quality and endless customer service that had been passed down to him.
3rd Generation of Pioneer Linens
Penny Murphy, originally an educator, founded the first area kindergarten in Wellington, Florida. She became Vice President of Pioneer Linens in 1995, gradually taking over day-to-day operations as the business passed to the third generation. Penny took the company virtual as well in 1998. www.pioneerlinenshop.com has become the major online luxury linen specialist, shipping high-end brands around the country. Penny transitioned to President of Pioneer Linens, after her father George Greenberg passed, in August of 2007. Pioneer Linens’ storefront stands as an anchor in the Downtown District of West Palm Beach on Clematis Street still to this day. Penny Murphy is active on a few philanthropic boards and charitable committees in Palm Beach County.
4th Generation of Pioneer Linens
The Grandchildren of Pioneer Linens
Alan Murphy, Jr., great-grandson of Max Greenberg, became involved with the company in 2005 - 2018, developing infamous white-glove service Yacht Linen Division and pushing new growth opportunities forward in the 21st century for Pioneer Linens. In 2018, Alan Murphy, Jr transitioned out of his career at Pioneer Linens to other personal entrepreneurial endeavours in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Marissa Murphy-Adriaanse, great-granddaughter of Max Greenberg, became involved in 2010 to present, overseeing www.pioneerlinenshop.com. Besides, full management of www.pioneerlinenshop.com, Marissa assists with day-to-day operations, the yacht division, designer program, client relations, social media and marketing, and new business development.
Camille Murphy-Kubicek, great-granddaughter of Max Greenberg, became involved with the company in 2008 to present, leading the Advertising Division for print media. Then In 2016, Camille took over as Buyer for Pioneer Linens. In 2018, Camille launched Pioneer Linens Signature Collection, a stately curated home decor line design by Pioneer Linens manufactured exclusively for Pioneer Linens. Our fully customizable Pioneer Linens Signature Collection is the next wave of Pioneer Linens for the future. Follow Camille's decor posts and our Signature Collection on Instagram @PioneerLinens.
Pioneer Linens continues to offer the largest selection of current home fashion in high-end linens for the bed, bath and table, and is your repository of factual information about lifelong quality in luxury goods.
Shop Pioneer Linens
The Pioneer Linens family invites you to experience our 8,000 square foot luxury home decor store, located in Downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Come see and feel top designer home decor brands featuring the newest fashions in bedding, bath decor, and table accessories for your home or yacht. Shop with our knowledgeable sales associates who love luxury linens as much as you.
MEDIA
Featured In: