Our Success

When you run a business, you end up meeting many different people and traveling throughout the U.S. and the world which can lead to some amazing, sometimes unreal experiences. This is especially true if you have been running your business for a long time. The Gfesser brothers have been in business together as the owners and operators of Trendler for 45 years and in that time, they have worked closely together, traveled together, and experienced the many ups and downs that come with running a business.

As we move through life, everyone has periods where they may not have a complete understanding or awareness of where they are going or what they want to do. Everyone also has instances in their past, whether in their personal or professional lives, where they look back and wish they had done something different or wish they knew what they know now so they could have made a better decision that would have made their lives easier.

People in the workforce seem to spend most of their time at work. Those who are entrepreneurs and run businesses tend to spend even more time working than the average worker, which can throw off their work life balance. No matter what position a person holds, maintaining a good work life balance is important as it allows people to spend more time with their loved ones and doing the things they enjoy. A good work life balance can also have a positive impact on job performance.

For a business to be successful, they must implement a solid business model and marketing strategy to be able to effectively serve their customers and generate a profit. Businesses must also have extensive knowledge of their industry as well as the needs of their target audience. While it is important for businesses to build an internal model for success, almost all successful businesses also have a strong network consisting of other businesses that contribute to their growth and success.

The pandemic had wide reaching effects all over the globe and even in our post-pandemic world, there are many things that have not returned to “normal,” or the way they were before the pandemic. As a society, we have largely come to accept that many things are not going back to the way they were and the changes that occurred are now our “new normal.”

Everyone has sat on a chair or barstool that can rotate, whether at a bar or restaurant or in your own home. The part that allows chairs and barstools to have this range of motion is known as a swivel. Swivels are typically made from steel and feature full bearing plates that allow for the smooth motion of the seat. They can allow anywhere from 180 degrees to 360 degrees of motion and feature slight tilts as well as auto stop and return features.

Running a family-owned business comes with its unique set of challenges. One of the keys to success for family-owned businesses is understanding what each family member brings to the table. Businesses operate at their best when they can successfully leverage the strengths of each person and find ways to complement each other’s roles within the business. And in the case of Trendler, who understands your strengths and weaknesses better than your own brothers?

Those who run a business understand the hard work and dedication that goes into devising and implementing strategies to streamline operations and improve their bottom line. The more effective these strategies are, the more successful a business will become. While businesses have a level of control over how they operate, sometimes an unplanned or unforeseen event can rock a business to its core. These events, referred to as black swan events, can be detrimental to even the best run businesses.

The sixth installment of the Brothers Battles & Bounty podcast is a very special episode as the Gfesser brothers invite their mother and co-founder of Trendler Inc., Kate Gfesser, on to the podcast to talk about founding and running a family-owned business. Kate is the wife of Trendler founder Anton (Tony) Gfesser, Sr. and has been involved with Trendler since its founding.

When running a business, it is only natural to investigate what your competitors are doing. Businesses do this to figure out what makes their competitors successful and possibly incorporate their strategies into their own plans for success.

At Trendler, we have long taken pride in offering our customers high-quality, American made furniture products that are manufactured in our Chicago, IL factory. When the Gfesser family took over Trendler, their goal was to continue to manufacture our own products as they consider themselves manufacturers by nature. They also wanted to keep the manufacturing process in Chicago, the city in which they were born and raised.

What is stronger: steel furniture or wood furniture? While many believe steel to be the superior choice, we at Trendler dispel this misconception. Before we justify that, let’s take a closer look at the properties of wood furniture and metal furniture, and then we can explain why we say wood is just as strong and durable as steel.

Since 1932, Trendler has been committed to providing high quality chairs, barstools, and swivels for a wide range of applications while delivering outstanding customer service. We have always made it our mission to continuously improve our manufacturing process by incorporating new methods and technology so we can stay at the cutting edge of the industry and produce the best possible furniture products. This not only benefits our business by helping us grow, but also our customers as they can expect a dependable, long-lasting product when they work with Trendler.

At Trendler, Inc., we take pride in producing high quality furniture including chairs, barstools, and furniture swivels for residential and commercial use. Every finished furniture product and the parts for our furniture, including the frames and swivels, are fabricated, and built by us in our factory in Chicago, IL.

Barstools have been a common fixture in bars and restaurants for centuries as they can be traced back to medieval times. Within American culture, they are a staple of soda fountains and lunch counters and are still in heavy use in today’s bars and restaurants.

Commercial spaces like restaurants, offices, and banquet halls need dependable seating. When it comes to choosing the right chairs and barstools, businesses should find an option that not only serves the purpose, but also adds to the comfort and aesthetic of the space. The best way to enhance the aesthetic and increase the comfort of an office or other commercial space is to choose upholstered furniture.

Trendler offers our wide range of Trendler brand chairs and barstools to businesses,organizations, schools, OEMs, wholesalers, retailers, and private buyers.

Trendler and Tim O’Neil and Associates Join Together For A Strategic Partnership.

Banquet halls and conference centers that host events for large groups of attendees need a versatile and dependable seating solution. The staff for these types of events must be able to store, move, and arrange banquet chairs and tables according to the type of event and number of expected attendees. It is beneficial for banquet halls to have furniture that can withstand repeated use over multiple events and be easily transported and stored.

Whether you operate a vintage style diner or restaurant or want to create a vintage look in your own home, check out our retro barstools.

We look forward to partnering with you to create custom-made barstools or chairs that incorporate your organizations branding!

If I could describe myself in three words, I would consider myself to be reliable, honest, and approachable!

The following is a list of our top ten kitchen counters tools for your kitchen in 2022. If you want more information about any of these kitchen stools or other products that we offer, you can reach out to our team at (773) 284-6600.

Martin Gfesser has been with Trendler for nearly three decades and currently serves as the President. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, golfing, and spending time with his family.

Juan Perez was born and raised in a small town of La Chona in Jalisco, Mexico. He came to the USA when he was 19 years old to build a better life for himself. He enjoyed studying chemistry and science in high school, but could not afford college, so he left Mexico. After arriving in Chicago, he received a call from a friend about opening at Trendler and has never looked back.

Born and raised in Chicago "Little Village” on the South Side of the city, Charlie Gradilla is a proud father of three children and holds an Associate Degree in Applied Science. Charlie previously worked for Motorola for ten years before being hired by Trendler. Charlie’s coworkers describe him as easy to work with, open-minded, honest, and to the point.

Trendler is pleased to announce our investment in BIFMA testing equipment.

Employees are a critical part of who Trendler is as a company. Our team represent our values and brand. Get to know some of the individuals who help carry on Trendler's tradition of innovation, quality, and service every day.

Trendler is excited to announce our chairs and swivel barstools will be listed and available to quote through AutoQuotes!

Born and raised in Chicago, Stefan Gfesser has always had a passion for new business development, marketing strategy, and sales management. After graduating from St. Leo’s College in 1977, he began his career working and managing three specialty furniture stores in the Chicago suburbs. In 1985, Stefan was hired as Trendler’s National Sales Manager, bringing his eight years of experience to the company as it began global sourcing and expanding its influence on the world demand for U.S.-made furniture components.

Since 1932, Trendler has designed, manufactured and distributed dependable swivels and barstool seating products that furnish everyday living interiors.

Trendler’s retro chairs and barstools are manufactured in the USA and feature the same quality you'd expect to find in the 1950s.

As you look inside our catalog, you will find a wide variety of swivel sizes for numerous applications, including Residential, Commercial, Casino, and Marine

With the flexibility and accessibility of Trendler being local, we are able to order what we need for orders, when we need it.

Without sacrificing style, Trendler’s commercial highchairs are cost effective, durable and made in the USA.

These tariffs have had a direct and indirect impact on the American consumer. From furniture manufacturers to wholesale retailers, companies including Trendler are working relentlessly to implement various business strategies.

Trendler continues their commitment to exceed customer expectations by manufacturing chairs and barstools of the highest quality. Trendler is pleased to announce three new collections to add to their growing Trendler brand seating. The Isiah chair, the Café chair and barstool, and the Windella chair are all proudly manufactured at Trendler’s facility and priced for a remarkable value.

As an industry leader, Trendler has been committed to sustainable work environments and business practices for over 50 years.

Consistently striving to meet and exceed customers’ expectations has made us a world leader in manufacturing chairs and barstools of the highest quality. We’ve helped thousands of restaurants and bars across the country promote their brand with quality, front-of-store seating by creating a welcoming, comfortable environment with our collection of commercial restaurant furniture.

Trendler is pleased to announce its new strategic partnership with The Hode Group, a leading manufacturer representative company located in Chicago, Illinois. The Hode Group has over 30 years of experience representing companies that produce top branded product lines in the foodservice and hospitality industry.

Born and raised in Chicago, Geniene has always had a passion for customers. She began her career at Trendler as a Customer Service Representative, 17 years ago. Read how she has played a critical role in contributing to Trendler’s success.

Why Wholesalers Are Partnering with Trendler

From manufacturing shop floor to the front office, Trendler employees, including its new product committee, remain focused on their commitment to new product development.

Employees are a critical part of who Trendler is as a company. Our team represents our values and brand. Get to know some of the individuals who help carry on Trendler’s tradition of innovation, quality and service every day.