Hunter Furniture closes after 89 years

After 89 years, the Hunter Furniture Company in downtown Birmingham is closing.

A family business for generations, it has many loyal customers who’ll be sad to see it go.

The store, on 18th street north in downtown Birmingham, will be missed.

Loyal customer Lucy Fowler said, “It almost brought tears to my eyes when I heard it was going.“

The sign out front says Hunter Furniture started in 1922, but it was really 1920.

“This business was started before I was born in 1922,“ said Walter Hunter.

And, he ought to know. Walter and his brother Bob worked with their dad for years. Walter Hunter Sr. started Hunter Furniture in 1920 and ran it until his death. 

“Well, I guess Dad was special because he believed in the work incentive,” Bob Hunter said. “He was here every day, only time he took off to go fishing a little bit, but otherwise 6 days a week from 8 o’clock to 5 o’clock.“

There have been great times and tough times for Hunter Furniture. 

During WWII when appliances were hard to get, Hunter Furniture sold toys and would deliver furniture and toys right up to Christmas Eve. 

The store got on board with selling TVs early on too. The store offered layaway and would offer 90 days same as cash. Over they years, the store developed loyal customers that just kept coming back.

“My dad started us to tradin’ here and then after my dad started all of his children tradin’ here, then all of my children traded here down through the years,“ Lucy Fowler said.

Bob and Walter worked together for years.  Walter retired about 10 years ago, but it’s still a family operation.  Their sister Joan Curtis has worked here for years.  Workers like Jerry, Ricky and Anthony have worked her for years… Ricky Smith for 27 years.

“It was the most pleasurable experience I’ve had a far as working for anybody, it’s just like being part of your family,“ Ricky Smith said.

Bob Hunter will tell you that’s it’s been tough competing against the big furniture chains…. but he said he believes they’ve had some advantages too.

“I guess the fact is they trust us, and the fact is that we’ve had 2nd and 3rd generations and people know that we’re going to be here and they can count on us,“ Bob Hunter said.

So, in business for 90 years, Hunter Furniture will sell the rest of the furniture in the store, and they’ll leave behind a lot of friends and family and customers who will miss them. 

The best news is this, after all of these years… they have no regrets and say they believe the store has provided a wonderful career for their family.

“I’d do it all over again if I could,” Bob Hunter said. “I really would, the economy’s changed a lot and time marches on, but I’d do the same thing again.”