Rousseau’s is a unique furniture store and décor destination in downtown Whitby, Durham Region. Established in 1929, Rousseau’s has grown and become a place, where generations of customers return to, time and time again. Exclusive furniture lines made by domestic and North-American manufacturers, custom drapery service, art, lighting, rugs and accessories sourced from all over the world make Rousseau's a one- stop- shopping décor destination
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The unofficial motto of Rousseau’s Fine Furniture and Décor is for people to love the home in which they live, and owner Peggy Gillis strives to deliver on that every day by offering all the furniture and lighting one would need in a home. The roots of this philosophy go back quite a ways, with Peggy telling a story of charm, antiquity and a different way of life. “It was started by my grandfather in 1929,” she says. “He was French-Canadian; he was an upholsterer and French polisher, so he started out as a very small company in ’29.”
Peggy’s grandfather steadfastly continued to ply his trade, continuing to grow his furniture and service business on Whitby’s main road, Brock Street. He also worked at McLaughlin Carriage Company (General Motors Canada’s predecessor) as a vehicle upholsterer so he could “continue to augment his business." In the 1940s, he finally made the permanent move to Mary Street and bought the property and heritage building at which Rousseau’s currently rests.