Henry Siebrecht established his business in New Orleans by taking over an upholstery and paperhanging store on Royal Street. He suffered greatly from the 1860 Furniture Row fire, losing $24,000 in property and $15,000 in stock to the blaze, but he continued to operate his furniture business, despite several more financial setbacks, until 1890. Siebrecht retained contacts with manufacturers in his native Germany and was one of the few furniture retailers importing stock directly from European ports.