History

"Start small, work hard, love what you do, and involve your entire family!”

These words, spoken by Maurice Jonker Sr., encapsulate the spirit that drives Maurice’s Olde World Furnishings. The history of Maurice Jonker Sr. and his family mirrors the history of many immigrant families who found a new life in the land of opportunity.

In 1979 the Jonker Family visited South Florida from their home country of Holland. Like so many others, they fell in love with the climate and the lifestyle. More importantly, they fell in love with the idea of fulfilling their dreams. So, in 1981, they pulled up their roots and moved to Jupiter, Florida.

The son of a professional photographer, Maurice always had an eye for design. Along with his family, he brought with him a passion for collecting and restoring European antique furniture. In Holland, Maurice had managed a high-end men's fashion firm. During his time away from fashion he restored antique pine pieces. He would often use the finished pieces in the elaborate fashion displays created to showcase the season's newest arrivals. This mere hobby eventually became his life’s work. He began by simply working on furniture in his garage and soon opened a small shop to display his newly restored pieces.

Maurice’s love for finishing antique furniture was contagious. Today, 6 members of the Jonker family are heavily involved in every aspect of the operations and management of Maurice’s Olde World Furnishings. Maurice Senior, his wife Tony, their children Natasja and Maurice Jr. (with wife Wendy), and their son in law Steve oversee some 50 employees over three locations in the state of Florida.

With over 24,000 square feet of combined showroom space between the Jupiter and Winter Park locations, as well as a 15,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Port Saint Lucie, Maurice’s Olde World Furnishings has come a long way. Maurice, on his many trips abroad, personally selects only the most unique and highest quality pieces of antique furniture for his clients around the United States. This allows Maurice’s to provide South Florida with the finest antiques from all over the world.