The story of Bear Chair

The Bear Chair Company was founded in 1987 in a basement workshop in Muskoka, Ontario. Founder Dave Wright made the first batch of 100 Adirondack kits for Beaver Lumber in Southern Ontario. Today, the company is at home in South River, Ontario, right by Algonquin Park. In Switzerland, Bears & Dogs GmbH is the official distribution partner.

The origin: Adirondack vs. Muskoka

The classic Adirondack chair originated back in 1903 in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. Thomas Lee designed a simple wooden chair with wide armrests and an angled seat; the concept has remained unchanged ever since.

In Canada, the same shape became popular as the «Muskoka chair», named after the cottage region in Ontario. Today, Adirondack and Muskoka chair essentially describe the same piece of furniture.

Important: The Bear Chair Company has existed since 1987, not since 1903. The 1903 date refers to the invention of the chair shape, not the brand.

1987: Dave Wright and the first 100 chairs

Dave Wright started with a simple idea: Adirondack chairs as kits. Instead of selling fully assembled chairs, he packed them in flat boxes that customers could assemble at home. That lowered shipping costs and made the chairs more accessible.

The first 100 kits went to Beaver Lumber. The response was so positive that The Bear Chair Company expanded quickly.

The brand DNA: kits and Canadian wood

• Kit concept: largely pre-drilled wood, screws grouped by assembly step, instructions in the box.
• Western Red Cedar from Ontario, naturally weatherproof and resinous, without chemical protection. Alternatively Northern White Pine.
• Made in Canada: made in Ontario to this day, in South River near Algonquin Park.

Today: South River, Ontario

The Bear Chair Company has moved its headquarters from Muskoka to South River, still in Ontario. The range has grown broader: alongside the classic chairs there are double chairs, tables, benches, footstools and accessories. The kit principle has remained.

Bear Chair in Switzerland

Since Bears & Dogs GmbH (founded 2020, based in Thundorf TG) has officially represented the brand in Switzerland, Bear Chair products have been available here, with local stock, a showroom in Frauenfeld and delivery throughout Switzerland. The chairs come from Ontario via the official European distribution structure.

Frequently asked questions about the Bear Chair story

Who invented the Adirondack chair?

Thomas Lee designed the first Adirondack chair in 1903 in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. The shape has remained essentially unchanged since.

Who is The Bear Chair Company?

A Canadian furniture maker, founded in 1987 in Muskoka, Ontario, by Dave Wright. Today based in South River, Ontario.

What is the difference between an Adirondack and a Muskoka chair?

Essentially none. Adirondack is the US name, Muskoka the Canadian one. Both describe the same chair shape.

Since when has Bear Chair been available in Switzerland?

Bears & Dogs GmbH has distributed Bear Chair products in Switzerland since it was founded in 2020, having started as a hobby in 2016. The brand itself has existed since 1987.

Why is the brand called «Bear Chair»?

The name alludes to the habitat in Ontario; the forests around Algonquin Park are classic black bear country.

Are the chairs really made in Canada?

Yes. Made in Canada, with wood from Ontario (Western Red Cedar or Northern White Pine), sourced via the official European distribution structure.

More about the brand

Read about us at Bears & Dogs, discover the products in the shop or get to know the original wood, Western Red Cedar .