Downtown Henderson has been home to a number of furniture companies over the years, and Britt Sams, owner of Sams Furniture & Mattress Center, has been counted among that number now for the past two decades.

The furniture and mattress store at 515 S. Garnett St. is celebrating 20 years of business this year, and Sams spoke with John C. Rose on Town Talk Wednesday about loyal customers, downtown revitalization and how he made a career in the furniture business.

And he used his “indoor” voice, not his trademark “on-air” voice that listeners are used to hearing describe the sales and special discounts on radio commercials.

In 1986, Sams began at Star Furniture and worked his way up from sales and the warehouse to doing most of the advertising for 29 stores. “I believe that you have to continuously get the word out,” Sams said, because “not everybody listens at the same time and not everybody buys at the same time.”

When Star closed in 2000, Sams decided to stretch his entrepreneurial wings and start his own business. The former Penny Furniture Co. building was available, and Sams said “when I saw the store at 515 was available…we all just made it click and made a go at it.”

Now, 20 years later, Sams reflects on his years of doing business on Garnett Street. He said local merchants and retailers are working hard to bring shoppers to visit – and spend – downtown. Sadie’s Coffee Corner has drawn a lot of traffic and interest to the area, he said, and the local Chamber of Commerce and downtown development group are big supporters of downtown revitalization efforts.

The downtown area has been good, he said, “but now more than ever it has the potential to grow” as others look at downtown Henderson to open businesses. One such property is located just behind Sams’ store in the former Falkner Coal Yard. There’s a lot of work going on back there, he said, and plans are to make the space a restaurant and brewery.

Downtown development and revitalization go a long way to bring customers to local shops and stores to spend money. But Sams said his store enjoys a lot of repeat business because of the “top of the game” service he offers. He said his showroom floors are full and he can deliver in 1-2 days, not months from the time the sale is made.

“Small- town furniture stores still provide the best service,” Sams said. “It’s that friendliness that we give back to our customers (that) makes people come back to us.”

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