How did you get started with Cricket on the Hearth?
I grew up in this family business started by our parents, John and Carol Turner, Jr. in 1968. I started working full time in the warehouse around 1991. Cricket on the Hearth started as strictly retail with all installations and service done by contractors. There was a lot of inconsistency in the work, so we change the business model to include installation and service of our product, and I worked in that area. Today as the owner, I still have my hands in installation and service to ensure the safe enjoyment of our products.
What is unique and special about your business?
I love working with our neighbors and offering an easygoing atmosphere where they can explore all fireplace and stove options. We have a long history in the fireplace industry. We have the knowledge and understanding to solve unique problems and create custom solutions that respect the safety codes and requirements. We partner with leading manufacturers including Jotul, Mendota, Kozy Heat, Blaze King and Enerzone to bring long lasting, high quality products to our community at fair prices. We have a wealth of experience to help a homeowner understand the various features of our fireplaces and stoves and guide them in selecting a product that best fits their lifestyle and aesthetic.
What are the advantages of being located on Panorama Trail?
Our retail showroom located in Cliffside Common on Panorama Trail South in Penfield allows for an extensive showroom where customers can experience their options firsthand. We have multiple gas fireplaces and inserts as burning displays, and we use our wood stove displays to heat our showroom all winter. We also employ a large attached warehouse to keep product on hand with volume buying and fast installations for our customers.
The homeowners and contractors who want to replace an existing stove or fireplace and try installation on their own can find inventory on hand for the job.
What areas of the business would you like to see grow and improve upon?
Having a larger staff would help in all areas. The seasonal nature of the fireplace business means considerable differences in fall to summer needs, and training new hires to be capable in product knowledge and business practices takes time.
Are there any new or unique products and services that you offer?
Our vendors are constantly pushing innovation to meet EPA standards.
Each gas fireplace inserts is customized by choosing the components that appeal to the buyer. For instance, a new gas insert could have a red, grey or black brick interior or something more modern and reflective like black glass panels which mirror the flame. That same insert may have 10 frame designs around the glass available in a choice of six colors. It may seem like a lot, but when you can sit down in the showroom with us and have the insert right in front of you, it’s easy to picture how you want to complete your home project and get excited about it.
The new wood burning stoves are being tested to higher EPA requirements for efficiency while retaining unique styling options – from cast iron traditional stoves to European designs and straightforward steel box stoves. Swapping out an old stove from the 1970s will save you a tremendous amount of wood, and you will see almost no smoke escaping the chimney as that is unburned fuel. Our friends and neighbors in the Finger Lakes generally have easy access to wood for burning at reasonable prices, so woodburning stoves are still very popular.
There is a push to make everything electric, and the fireplace industry is adding its own products. Most all are light and mirror shows that include a small heater. As a true believer in wood and gas appliances for energy independence and real heat, I try to encourage these sales to locations where neither of those is practical. Basements, children’s play areas and cabinets without chimneys are ideal areas for the electric units.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I’ve met some amazing people working to improve their homes, gain energy independence or just getting back to enjoying the warmth and beauty of their fireplace. Cricket on the Hearth is successful in making people happy with their purchases; many times, people just stop in to tell us their stories of years of enjoyment or how much they remember working with my dad. Sometimes we won’t hear from a customer until they move into a new home or bring in their grown children who have just purchased their first home.
What are your roots? Are you a Finger Lakes native?
Our family moved from Norwich, NY to Penfield in 1968. My father, John B. Turner, Jr. had worked with his father in fireplace equipment manufacturing at Bennett Ireland Co. in Norwich and decided to start Cricket on the Hearth, Inc. as a retail outlet for those products and others. I attended Ithaca College, graduating in 1988 with a B.A. in economics management. I worked in a few other areas after school but was destined to carry on the fireplace tradition.
What do you enjoy most about the Finger Lakes Region?
I enjoyed downhill skiing at Bristol in my youth. These days I tour the state with my golf clubs trying out the many courses and visiting the local attractions, concerts in Canandaigua, beautiful lakes, hills, festivals and breweries. I regularly enjoy volunteering when a professional golf event comes to town. The seasonal changes we enjoy in New York – with the full range from summers, leaves coloring in the fall, snow in the winter and the beautiful green spring – really provide a healthy balance in my life.
Do you have any favorite local activities you enjoy?
I’m a member and on the board of the Pittsford Rotary Club and enjoy the camaraderie and working on the many service projects that support the community. My son and I share an interest in billiards; I recently joined a local league with occasional competitions. I played soccer in both high school and at college but now follow the pros favoring Manchester United. I’ve participated in SCCA car racing in the past which was a thrill. My true love is golf which gets me outside and meeting people while touring the region’s courses.
