DUBOIS: DuBois just got a little more comfortable.

With oversized red bows stretched across the showroom and scissors poised for the ceremonial cut, community members gathered to officially welcome The Mattress Company By Steeple to 1328 Maple Avenue. The ribbon-cutting ceremony — hosted alongside the local Chamber — marked not just a new storefront, but the next chapter in a long-standing family furniture legacy.

And fittingly, the celebration was anything but a snooze.

A New Chapter For A Familiar Name

The Mattress Company By Steeple grows out of the trusted roots of Steeple Furniture, a well-known name serving the region from Rockton for decades.

Steeple Furniture has built its reputation on:

• Quality home furnishings
• Personalized customer service
• Generational family ownership
• A commitment to serving rural Pennsylvania communities

For years, customers have turned to Steeple Furniture for living room sets, dining furniture, bedroom collections, and — of course — mattresses. Now, that expertise has been given its own dedicated space in DuBois.

The new showroom focuses exclusively on sleep solutions, offering a curated experience designed to help customers find the right comfort, support, and fit.

We caught up with owner Kourtni Ball Jacobs early Wednesday morning as the dust settled a little and she had this to say, "Being able to expand the family business has been a dream of mine and I am so thankful for the opportunity. Working hand in hand with my grandma, mom, dad and husband is a really unique and special experience and I’m so blessed to be apart of this three-generation business." Kourtni's husband Christian rounds out the other half of the ownership team while locals Marsha Beatty (Rockton native) and Mark Henry (who put in over 25 years of service at the Rockton furniture store still owned by Kourtni's parents, Steeple Furniture of Rockton) supply added usefulness, depth, and charm.

Comfort On Full Display

Inside the Maple Avenue showroom, mattresses are thoughtfully arranged, allowing shoppers to take their time, test options, and compare styles in a relaxed setting.

A sign on the wall says it best:

“Your best night of sleep starts here.”

The Mattress Company By Steeple offers customers:

• A range of mattress styles and firmness levels
• Trusted national brands
• Knowledgeable staff ready to guide the process
• A low-pressure environment focused on comfort

For a business rooted in furniture tradition, this expansion reflects a growing awareness of how essential quality sleep is to overall health and well-being.

Grand Opening Hours & Location

The Mattress Company By Steeple is now open at:

 1328 Maple Avenue, DuBois

 Store Hours:

• Monday–Thursday: 10:AM – 5:PM
• Friday: 10:AM – 6:PM
• Saturday: 10:AM – 5:PM
• Sunday: 12:PM – 5:PM
• Closed Wednesdays

Plenty of opportunities to stop in, lay back, and find your perfect match.

Watch for changes on their website: themattresscompanybysteeple.com.

A Legacy That Continues To Grow

For Steeple Furniture, this isn’t just a second location — it’s a strategic step forward.

From its home base in Rockton, the Steeple family has steadily served customers across Clearfield County and beyond. Expanding into DuBois with a specialty sleep showroom strengthens that regional footprint while staying true to the company’s customer-first philosophy.

Local ownership. Regional roots. Continued growth.

That’s a formula that resonates. Something else that resonates that Kourtni also shared with us. . . hard work. "Grandma is 85 [years young] and still works every day!" Success in local business is a grind. The people who come together and put in the time and expend that effort--that's the driving force. . . and grandma (Shirley Conrad) seems to have passed that along (first, to her daughter Sherri Ball) and continues to show up and put in her time and, of course, love for. Sherri took her parents' vision and molded it into what amounts to more decades of success that's ultimately paved a path for this expansion with the next generation running point.

Why This Matters For DuBois

Ribbon cuttings aren’t just ceremonial — they signal investment in the community. New storefronts mean:

• Local jobs
• Expanded shopping options
• Strengthened small-business presence
• Continued downtown and corridor vitality

As DuBois continues evolving as a retail and service hub for surrounding communities, additions like The Mattress Company By Steeple reflect confidence in the area’s future.

DUBOIS: When people think about fire safety, they often think reactively: alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, and inspections. But for large commercial, industrial, and logistics facilities, real safety begins much earlier — with pre-incident planning and collaboration between building owners and first responders.

That proactive approach was on display recently when members of the DuBois Fire Department were invited inside Mountainy, LLC on Beaver Drive for a walkthrough of the facility.

This was not prompted by an emergency. It was a preparedness exercise — the kind that often makes the difference when seconds matter.

Understanding The Facility: Why Background Matters

Mountainy, LLC is a third-party logistics (3PL) and print-on-demand company headquartered in DuBois, with an additional facility in Goodyear, Arizona. The company provides:

• E-commerce order fulfillment and warehousing
• Custom printing and apparel decoration (DTG, DTF, embroidery, UV printing)
• Supply-chain management for online brands

Facilities like this are dynamic by nature. Inventory changes. Materials vary. Equipment layouts evolve. From a fire-response perspective, that means conditions inside the building today may be very different from what they were a year ago — or even last month.

Inviting the fire department inside allows responders to understand how the space actually functions, not just how it appears from the outside.

Pre-Incident Walkthroughs: Preventive Maintenance For Safety

From a building owner’s standpoint, a fire department walkthrough should be viewed as preventive maintenance, just like servicing HVAC systems or inspecting electrical panels.

These walkthroughs allow firefighters to:

• Learn the layout, access points, and flow of a large building
• Identify utility shutoffs, standpipes, and suppression systems
• Understand how inventory is stored and moved
• Anticipate hazards unique to logistics, printing, or manufacturing environments

For owners, it’s a second set of trained eyes focused on risk reduction.

Best Practices Fire Departments Often Review

1. Material Compatibility And Storage

In logistics and print-on-demand environments, different materials can present very different risks.

Fire departments can help confirm:

• Which chemicals, inks, solvents, or materials must be kept separated
• Where flammable or combustible products should be stored
• How pallet stacking height and rack spacing affect fire spread and suppression

What seems efficient operationally can sometimes increase fire intensity if not reviewed from a safety perspective.

2. Clear Access Is Non-Negotiable

During an emergency, firefighters need immediate access.

Best practices include:

• Keeping fire lanes, hydrants, and doors clear at all times
• Ensuring loading docks and overhead doors are clearly marked
• Avoiding storage near suppression equipment, panels, or exits

“Temporary” storage has a way of becoming permanent — and dangerous.

3. Utility Shutoffs And Critical Systems

Fire crews often need to shut down:

• Electrical systems
• Gas lines
• Specialized production equipment

Clearly labeled, unobstructed shutoffs reduce risk to both responders and occupants. A walkthrough ensures crews aren’t searching in smoke or darkness.

4. Egress And Occupancy Awareness

Large facilities often have:

• Multiple shifts
• Seasonal staffing increases
• Contractors or visiting drivers

Fire departments can help evaluate whether:

• Exit routes remain clear and intuitive
• Signage is visible under low-light conditions
• Evacuation plans still match how the space is used

5. Treat Safety Planning As Ongoing

Any of the following should trigger a new walkthrough:

• Renovations or expansions
• Changes in inventory or production methods
• New machinery or storage systems

Facilities evolve. Safety planning should evolve with them.

A Local Example Of Proactive Safety

By opening its doors and inviting the DuBois Fire Department inside, Mountainy demonstrated a simple but powerful principle: the best emergency response starts long before the call comes in.

Familiarity with layout, materials, and operations can save:

• Employee lives
• Firefighter lives
• Neighboring properties

And often, all it takes is a conversation and a walkthrough.

Call To Action: If You Own A Large Building, Take This Step

If you own or manage a warehouse, manufacturing site, logistics facility, or large commercial building in the DuBois area, consider contacting the DuBois Fire Department.

Pre-incident walkthroughs are:

• Informational, not punitive
• Often free
• Focused on prevention, not enforcement

A few simple observations made today can prevent tragedy tomorrow. Preparedness isn’t just good practice — it’s responsible ownership.

If and when the fire department agrees to do you this solid, consider making a donation; it's polite.

 A City-Wide Pub Crawl Benefiting The DuBois YMCA

If one day of Irish-themed fun isn’t enough, DuBois has you covered.

On Sunday, March 15^th, the Shamrock Shuffle takes over town — inviting participants to eat and drink their way through DuBois while supporting the DuBois Area YMCA.

Running from 11:AM to 9:PM, the Shamrock Shuffle features free food samples at scheduled times, drink specials, raffles, and an after-party to wrap up the day.

 How It Works

Participants “shuffle” between participating local bars and restaurants, enjoying free food samples during assigned time slots. Visit each stop to earn entries toward gift baskets and gift card prizes, while also having access to 50/50 raffles sold throughout the event.

 Participating Locations And Times

• Angry Goat — 11:AM to 1:PM

• Tannery — 12:PM to 2:PM

• Winery at Wilcox — 1:PM to 3:PM

• Station 101 — 2:PM to 4:PM

• Charlie’s Pub — 3:PM to 5:PM

• Hitching Post — 4:PM to 6:PM

• Sandy Club — 5:PM to 7:PM

• Public House on Jared — 6:PM to 8:PM

 After Party Finale

The day wraps up at The Public House on Jared with an after-party featuring live music by Three of M from 6 to 9 p.m.

 Tickets

• $15 in advance

• $20 day of event

• Tickets available at any participating location

For questions, organizers can be reached at (814) 591-5377.

 Treasure Lake |  Saturday, March 14^th |  Live Music By The Rum Dums

Winter doesn’t loosen its grip easily in western Pennsylvania — but Treasure Lake is ready to kick the season off with a stomp.

On Saturday, March 14^th, the Treasure Lake Leprechaun Stomp returns for an evening of music, food, raffles, and St. Patrick’s Day spirit, all benefiting the DuBois Area YMCA.

Doors open at 5:PM, with live music by The Rum Dums starting at 7:PM The event is 21+ only, and valid ID is required.

 What To Expect

•  Live music from The Rum Dums

•  50/50 raffle, pull tickets, and basket raffles

•  Food available for purchase, provided by Gateway Cafe

•  Best Dressed contest — break out the green

•  All proceeds benefit the DuBois Area YMCA

 Tickets And Details

• $15 in advance

• $20 at the door

• Tickets available online and at Gateway Cafe, Treasure Lake POA, or the YMCA

• Event held at Lakeview Lodge & Conference Center, 3871 Bay Road, Treasure Lake

This is the kind of winter-ending event that combines community, music, and a good cause — a perfect excuse to get out, have fun, and support a cornerstone organization serving the DuBois area.