Welcome to Abo's Funhouse

There's the sumo wrestler table, mannequin lamp and singing deer head. You might think the Abos are the king and queen of kitsch, but Marty calls it "early contemporary wacko."

Marty Abo, CPA, has always been a fun, easy-going guy. "I sat close to the stage at Woodstock," says this non-rebellious child of the ‘60s from Long Island. "But, for me, it wasn’t this 'life-changing' event. It was just a fun time with a group of friends seeing some great bands."

A couple of years later, Abo graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in accounting and transportation. After working at his dad’s CPA firm and then Touche Ross, he met his soul mate, Jane, and the couple settled in Cherry Hill in 1976. Abo started his own firm in 1978 and hasn’t worked for anyone since. "We began as general tax and accounting and evolved to do valuations, divorce issues and shareholder disputes," says Abo, a holder of the ABV, CFF and CVA designations. "I think forensic accounting is a great career path for accountants because it involves unique people skills, technical skills and practical experience."

"I leaned a hell of a lot just from studying for the CPA Exam. It’s in my tool chest and it affords me a certain flexibility," notes Abo. He was twice-named as an NJ delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business.

What Abo likes to do for fun really centers on his home. "You've got to see it to believe it," he laughs. Inside you'll find a parking meter, fully operational phone booth, traffic light and one of Abo's favorite things, a classic Cadillac turned into a couch. "Jane and I thought about the concept of brining the outside inside," says Abo. Thus, you’ll find awnings on the inside windows, murals, trees, the perfectly placed fire hydrant and a retro Diner's Club sign.

Abo tells the story about buying a nine-foot ceramic chef at a furniture store going-out-of-business sale in Manhattan and the trials and tribulations of getting such an acquisition back to Cherry Hill. "After finally getting back home, I wrote on the statue's chalkboard 'Jane, anyone can get jewelry for her anniversary.'" It's with this story, and others, that you realize Marty and Jane are two peas in an eclectic pod. "We’re just the two people who were supposed to find each other," says Abo.

The home is very tasteful and homey — complete with three dachshunds — so much so that it's been featured in a variety of magazines. "We like to take normal stuff and give it a twist," points out Abo, "like substituting faucets for handles on our kitchen cabinets."

"At my practice, I deal with a lot of divorce, death and financial ruin," comments Abo. "That makes me want to enjoy life, have a good time and share my home with family and friends."