The TWA Hotel features custom-built millwork proudly crafted in the U.S.A. by expert Amish woodworkers.
Despite receiving lower bids from vendors in China, Malaysia and Vietnam, MCR and MORSE Development turned to Ohio’s Amish Country for the elegant walnut martini bars and tambour walls that grace the TWA Hotel.
Family-owned Highland Wood Products of Millersburg, Ohio, and Hilltop Woodworking of Fredericksburg, Ohio, manufactured the specialty pieces from locally-grown walnut trees.
Creating the TWA tambour was a true labor of love — and proof of the Amish commitment to producing pieces that stand the test of time. After the walnut was cut, the wood was steamed to bring out its rich color and dried for weeks. Millworkers then carefully sanded and shaped the boards before putting them through a moulder to achieve the distinctive tambour style. From there, artisans stained, sealed, sanded (again!) and — finally — varnished each panel to perfection.
Throughout the production, nothing went to waste. Lumber scraps were tossed into factory furnaces for heat. Sawdust turned into bedding for horses and cows.
Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR and MORSE Development, visited the Ohio factories with TWA Hotel team members to witness the production. Joe Yoder, owner of Hilltop Woodworking, and his father, Eli, who started the company 25 years ago, hosted a tour of the Amish- and Mennonite-owned facilities — and a buggy ride courtesy of their horse, Charlie. The visitors also planted walnut trees as part of the community’s regrowth program.
“We value our craftsmanship and heritage greatly — and we feel so blessed to be able to produce furniture for this prestigious property,” says Joe Yoder. “It’s very special when someone is truly dedicated to buying American, even when money could be saved overseas. Tyler Morse is what I call a Great American Warrior!”
“The Yoders and their community build top-quality furniture with integrity right here in the U.S.A. That makes them the perfect partner for the TWA Hotel,” says Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR and MORSE Development. “We know our guests appreciate their work — and we’re looking forward to hosting the Yoders at the TWA Hotel.”
Eero Saarinen’s iconic 1962 landmark is reigniting the magic of the Jet Age.
Scroll through photo galleries of the TWA Flight Center, hotel amenities, guestrooms, event spaces and museum exhibitions.
TWA Hotel’s 50,000 square feet of event space holds up to 1,600 people.
