Why Rustic Rarehouse is one of the only places to still get “real” rustic furniture.
Rustic furniture has been a popular style choice for Americans for over 200 years. Pioneers lived off the land and used what they found in nature to build homes and make furniture. Rustic furniture was born out of necessity, but through the years the simple, raw, and rugged style has become a favorite for just about everyone. Now the rustic style has morphed into variations like rustic chic, modern rustic, farmhouse, and many other popular styles. While the look speaks volumes, rustic furniture has always been known for its rugged durability as well. However, somewhere in the journey of popularization, rustic furniture began to drift from its original nature.
Now, most rustic furniture found in big name stores is rustic only in appearance. It seems that true rustic furniture is a thing of the past as furniture producers have chosen cheaper materials and higher profit margins over craftsmanship and quality components. Sure, you can sometimes find the “real” stuff hidden in high-end furniture stores or antiques shops, but rarely do you find establishments that know rustic, offer a wide variety of pieces made of the right stuff, and don’t charge an arm and a leg for it. That is, except for Rustic Rarehouse.
The local favorite furniture store has been offering the “real thing” for some time now. While the days of using beautiful rare woods has faded into the overuse of cheap woods like Mexican Pine, Rustic Rarehouse fills its showroom with rare-wood furniture that’s hard to find almost anywhere else.
What you won’t find, though, are inflated prices.
“Most rustic stores specialize in Mexican Pine,” says Bob. “I go out of my way to offer the opposite. Most of our selection is going to be mango wood, teak, or Peroba Rosa from Brazil – some kind of hardwood. If you do find the same items, they’re usually in a high-end store at double or triple the price I sell it for.” Don’t just take Bob’s word for it either. “Smart, savvy customers who shop around come in all the time and tell us how great our prices are.”
As one happy customer had to say, “Love this place. Awesome selection of beautiful rustic furniture, art, mixed pieces and more. New items very often. Excellent prices. Great service. Prompt delivery. Stop by and you will not be disappointed!!!” – Jerry G.
The Story of Rustic Rarehouse
Rustic Rarehouse’s unique history makes them a little different from other furniture stores. Owner Bob Way has been restoring and selling all kinds of furniture for 25 years. It all started years ago when he needed to pay a bill and decided to have a garage sale to make some extra money. Rather than paying that bill with the extra money he made, he went to an auction and bought some more items to sell in another garage sale, including furniture. “I found myself over the weekend in the used furniture business,” says Bob. “And that was better than a job.”
A true entrepreneur at heart, Bob Way began to expand his knowledge of furniture and sell nicer and nicer furniture. Starting from second hand furniture and through years of upgrading inventory, he discovered English antiques. Eventually, by 2012 he was specialized in fine European antiques from many sources, including private importers and auctioneers.
In late 2012, Bob realized that the market had shifted and he knew where to get “the good stuff” – the rustic, distressed and reclaimed real-wood furniture that people love the most.
Man Cave and Industrial? Or Family Friendly? Now Two Locations
Now, Rustic Rarehouse has grown in popularity so much that they have expanded to two locations. At the original location on Highway 105 you’ll find all the rustic furniture you’ll need to outfit a man cave, plus a huge selection of industrial style furniture – a growing favorite for many homeowners. In the newest location just a half mile down the road, you’ll find a more family oriented approach to furniture selection. Beautiful beds, impressive solid-wood dining tables, stylish rustic TV stands, and so much more. Bob knows exactly what his customers love the most and always finds a way to fill his store with styles that fly off the showroom floor.
“Everything in here is solid wood, usually some kind of hardwood,” says Bob as we look over the new showroom floor at the newest location. When asked what the most popular furniture piece is, Bob has a somewhat surprising answer. “TV stands,” he says as he points to a gorgeous farmhouse style example. “It’s what you see more than any other furniture piece,” he explains about why they are so popular. With the evolution of the TV, the evolution of living room and bedroom furniture has followed suit.
Rare Woods – What Makes Rustic the Real Thing
Rustic Rarehouse is exactly that – a rare wood warehouse. As Bob explained, most rustic furniture nowadays is made out of Mexican Pine, a softer wood that is cheap and abundantly available. While that furniture looks attractive, it is rustic in style only. Most manufacturers have moved away from the rare hardwoods that used to give rustic furniture so much character.
Rustic Rarehouse, on the other hand, is full of beautiful rare hardwood furniture that is nearly impossible to find anywhere else – at least, without spending an arm and a leg. You’ll find solid mango, teak, elm, rosewood, and many others, including the rare Peroba Rosa.
Peroba Rosa
Now considered a rare wood, the Brazilian hardwood is difficult to find in the US. In fact, Rustic Rarehouse’s supplier only works with four retailers in the states. Bob understands what his customers love so well that he is the only carrier in America of a specific color of Peroba Rosa, a beautiful dark caramel shade that you have to see for yourself.
Current Events and Rustic Rarehouse’s Future
Like most retail businesses, Rustic Rarehouse saw an initial drop in business when the coronavirus outbreak began. However, as people adjusted to the current state of life, customers started coming back to the store. One thing that Bob Way and his team have discovered is that offering a product and service that you can’t find anywhere else, along with a consistently high value for the money is one way to guarantee that a business will survive and thrive during uncertain times.
If you love (real) rustic furniture come visit Rustic Rarehouse at the original location at 13782 TX-105, Conroe, TX 77304 or the new Room Store location at 13080 TX-105 W, Conroe, TX 77304. Both locations are open Wednesday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm, Sunday: 11am – 5pm and closed on Monday and Tuesday. Learn more online at www.rusticrarehouse.com or call at (936) 588-2771.