Why I like this business...

About 15 years ago when I added the upstairs section to the store and put in a staircase, we had a decent sized storage closet under the staircase that I originally intended to use as (drumroll please).....STORAGE. However, I got the idea to make it a kid's playroom instead, and put a small TV with VCR in there for Barney movies, and bought some toys together with using ones my kids have outgrown. I figured the little ones needed something to do while Mom n' Dad do some serious shopping without the distraction of having to re-direct or otherwise sit atop their kids constantly. The Kid's Room has been a big success over the years, and frequently the children aren't ready to leave when the parents are ready to go!

Last Saturday a first-time couple were in the store with their well-behaved kids, the little boy was about 4 or 5 and their daughter 2 or 3 years old. They took to the Kid's Room immediately and the little guy was totally enamored with a small yellow plastic concrete mixer truck that's been in the room for years. He brought it out and said "Daddy, can I PLEASE have a truck like this for my Birthday? I really like this one." And he played with it the rest of the time they were in the store. He didn't fuss about it when time to go, and thanked me on the way out for letting him play with it. Mom and Dad bought a Jessica Charles chair in leather off the floor and scheduled delivery for today. As the guys were headed out to the truck this morninng to make the Saturday run of deliveries, I thought about the little guy and the concrete mixer in the toy room and as a quick afterthought handed it to Kyle and said "There's a little boy on your first delivery that loves this truck, make sure you give this to him and tell him to have lots of fun with it." Off they went and I didn't think any more about it.

Two hours later I get a call from the Mom (I thought she may have had a problem with the chair) but no....the chair was fine, she just wanted to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for thinking of her son and the little truck, he was thrilled to get it. And that was the only reason for her call. That made my day to bring a little joy into their house, and I'm sure that little friction truck will go many more miles on their kitchen floor than it will in the Kid's Room of the store.

Awww, Duane. You're such a sweetie.

Nothing like a home run to make your day. And I can personally vouch for the value of that playroom. My girls (2 and 4 at the time) enjoyed visiting your furniture store very much.

What a great story!
I wish there was a local store with a kids room. That would greatly appeal to me!