Business
BY JACOB VAUGHN
Upscale Roanoke furniture store celebrates 30 years
More than 30 years ago, Bo Runyon was going door-to-door selling beanbag chairs. Now she and her husband, Andy Runyon, sell high-end furniture at their store, Runyon’s Fine Furniture. The business o ers handmade, western pieces, a far cry from the beanbag chair days. “I feel lucky we made it this far, to tell you the truth,” Andy Runyon said. “We’ve had a lot of luck along the way. A lot of good decisions, but a lot of luck, a lot of timing.” Andy Runyon said all he has ever wanted to do was own and run his own business, which is exactly what he and Bo do now. In 2024, the Runyons received a proclamation from the mayor of Roanoke for being in business
for 30 years In a nutshell
Inside Runyon’s Fine Furniture, customers can see ideas on what furniture pieces the business can build.
PHOTOS BY JACOB VAUGHN COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Runyons got their start in Haltom City in 1994, eventually moving to Roanoke nearly 20 years later to sell custom-made, luxury furniture that each client helps curate. John Wayne, COO of Runyon’s Fine Furniture, said the charm of Roanoke drew them in. The business has changed a bit over the years, Wayne said. It has experimented with a few di er- ent style changes, from old-world furniture in the early days to the current trend of more modern and western furniture. “The hope was always [to have] a family-based business, and furniture just ended up being the foundation,” Wayne said. The business can create a variety of pieces, including co ee tables, dining room tables, dining room chairs, bar stools, game tables and full living room furniture sets, according to its website. The details One of the biggest challenges has been main- taining its operations across the country. “The processes behind designing, building something custom and getting it safely all over the country has de nitely been the biggest bottleneck of our growth, but it’s also been our biggest dif- ferentiator from us and our competitors,” Wayne said. “Most people buy inventory and sell what they have. We design furniture, and then we sell something custom to each and every customer.” He added that the family leaned into Roanoke
Roanoke Mayor Scooter Gierisch gives a proclamation to the Runyons to celebrate 30 years in business.
Andy (pictured) and Bo Runyon launched their business in 1994, moving from Haltom City to Roanoke in 2012.
holistically because the city ts the small-town charm they want to embody, as well as the western proximity to the Fort Worth Stockyards. What’s next? As the company grows, the Runyons want to incorporate their family even more into their story. “Our pivot this year is to bring the full life of the 30 years and where we’ve come from so that as we continue to grow,” Wayne said. “We’re really owning this niche to be the high-end space that can be built to suit [our customers].”
Roanoke
377
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500 US 377, Roanoke www.runyons nefurniture.com
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