The Simply Amish story began in the 1970s, when bellbottoms and short shorts could be spotted just about everywhere — except in good Amish homes. Across the nation, a new age of convenience had arrived. Microwave ovens were becoming common-place, and fashion-forward housewives were ordering the latest kitchen appliances in a wide range of deceptively tasteful sounding colors, like Avocado Green and Harvest Gold. But in a time of rapid change and progress, no one in the city could buy a beautiful piece of Amish furniture without a long trip to the country. Until a couple of guys from the country came up with a novel idea. It all started in 1979, when Kevin Kauffman and his brothers joined their dad to learn the finer points of furniture construction on their family farm. Putting his experience to good use, Kevin soon joined forces with his uncle, John Mast, to start a company that would pursue a much larger vision. Together, the two partners eventually linked an entire network of traditional Amish workshops with a modern distribution system, and furniture lovers everywhere rejoiced. Joined later by Kevin's uncle, Butch, and a fourth partner, Kent Patterson, they soon hit their stride, transforming an innovative furniture distribution system into a great American brand. And Simply Amish was born.