Most outdoor furniture companies didn't exist yet when Telescope Casual got its start. In fact, the company wasn't even in the furniture business when it began.
A Name Born From Folding Cots
Telescope Casual traces its roots back to 1903, when a small company called the Telescope Cot Bed & Novelty Company opened its doors in Midtown Manhattan. Its original product wasn't patio furniture at all — it was folding cots and camp stools, built with legs that collapsed inward on themselves, or "telescoped," for easy storage and travel. That clever mechanical detail is where the company's name comes from, and it's stuck for well over a century.
In 1921, the company relocated from New York City to the small town of Granville, New York — where it remains headquartered and manufacturing to this day.
A Family Business, Five Generations Deep
Unlike many furniture brands that have changed hands, been acquired, or moved production overseas, Telescope Casual has stayed remarkably consistent: it's still family-owned, now led by the fourth and fifth generation of the family that's run it for over a century. And it's still built almost entirely in the United States, out of a manufacturing facility in Granville that spans nearly a million square feet.
A Track Record of Genuine Firsts
Telescope Casual isn't just old — it's been quietly influential in how outdoor furniture actually gets made. A few notable milestones:
- In the 1920s, the company expanded into folding beach chairs, riding the early wave of American beach culture
- In 1953, it introduced the industry's first aluminum folding furniture — a genuine shift away from heavier, bulkier wood and steel construction
- In 1966, Telescope Casual became the first company to bring sling-style outdoor furniture to market — the woven fabric seating style that's since become a staple across the entire outdoor furniture industry
That kind of sustained innovation is part of why the International Casual Furnishings Association named Telescope Casual its Manufacturer of the Year in 2022 — nearly 120 years after the company first opened its doors.
What That Legacy Looks Like Today
Telescope Casual's current lineup spans an enormous range — from cushioned lounge collections like Leeward and Belle Isle, to an extensive selection of dining, bar, and coffee tables built in sling, marine-grade polymer, and acrylic construction. It's the kind of range that comes from over a century of continuously refining the same basic idea: outdoor furniture that's genuinely built to last, made by people who've been doing exactly this since your great-grandparents' era.
Explore the full Telescope Casual collection to find a piece with that same century of craftsmanship behind it.
Common Questions
Where was Telescope Casual founded?
Telescope Casual started in 1903 in Midtown Manhattan as a folding cot and camp stool company. It relocated to Granville, New York in 1921, where it remains headquartered and manufacturing today.
How long has Telescope Casual been in business?
Over 120 years. The company is still family-owned, now led by the fourth and fifth generation of the family that's run it since the early 1900s.
What is Telescope Casual famous for?
Telescope Casual pioneered the first outdoor sling furniture in 1966, a style that's since become an industry standard, and introduced the industry's first aluminum folding furniture back in 1953.
Is Telescope Casual furniture made in the USA?
Yes. Telescope Casual furniture is manufactured almost entirely in the United States, out of a facility in Granville, New York that spans nearly a million square feet.