By LEZLI GANDY

Special Projects Writer
Rex Ramsower jokes that when he retires after 42 years in the furniture business, his wife will

be getting twice the husband and half the money.

Ramsower opened an electronics store in 1965 at 715 Broadway that sold Curtis Mathes televisions and radios, and when the electronics business slowed down, Ramsower began selling furniture.

“I got into the furniture business to salvage my other business,” Ramsower said.

Ramsower Furniture celebrated its grand opening May 18, 1967, carrying a complete line of home furnishings, floor coverings, window treatments, electronics and appliances.

In 1967, Ramsower Furniture joined ranks with other furniture stores here including Bane’s Furniture, White Furniture, Bud’s Furniture and Appliance and Garrison Furniture and Appliance, none of which are in business today.

Ramsower expanded his downtown store several times and eventually joined forces with Jerry Hembree. The store changed from Ramsower Furniture to Ramsower-Hembree Furniture Store.

In 1995, J.B. Roberts bought the Village and Edgemere Shopping Centers and the store moved to its current location at 3210 Olton road.

Ramsower Furniture is one of the few businesses left that still carries customer accounts.

“We have over 8,000 accounts,” Ramsower said, “both active and inactive.”

After Ramsower and Hembree parted ways, Ramsower’s grandson, Jason, took over as vice president and general manager in 2003.

Ramsower Furniture has always been a family affair.

“I did not have a lot of knowledge in the furniture business,” Ramsower said. “I am color blind and more than one person has asked how I got into this business.”

Ramsower’s wife of 56 years, Ethel Lee, has a degree in art and obtained another degree in interior design after they became involved with furniture.

Ramsower gives a lot of credit to his wife.

“I bought the case goods, and she bought all the upholstery.”

Jason Ramsower and his wife, Jill, moved to Plainview from Waco, and have a 4-year-old son, Tyler, and are expecting a daughter in March.

Jason Ramsower graduated from Baylor University with a degree in management information systems. Jill Ramsower also graduated from Baylor and finished at Baylor Law School in 2002.

The younger Ramsower has big ideas for the store.

“Jason hopes to expand the business to other areas of Texas,” Rex Ramsower explained.

Even though Ramsower is retiring from the furniture business, he still has plenty of business ventures to occupy his time.

“I am retiring from the furniture business, but I still have commercial property and farm land,” Ramsower said.

But it won’t be all work.

Upon retirement, he and his wife plan to spend a lot more time at his house on Lake LBJ.

(Contact Lezli Gandy at 806-296-1360 or lezli@plainviewdailyherald.com)