Furniture

When J.B. Epperson went into the furniture business in 1946, things were a little simpler. But nearly 63 years later, the business landscape is changing, and J.B. and his wife, Virginia, said that they knew the time had come to close up shop for good. On March 31, with little fanfare, Winchester bid good-bye to a downtown landmark. "Way back when we started, you could almost do business with a handshake," J.B. said. "As the years went by, that changed. " J.B. said his father, J.B. Epperson Sr., was already in the furniture business when he and brother-in-law, Howard Schworm, decided to try their hand at it as well.

They started out going after old cars but they ended up getting stories, lots of stories, and the men behind Resurrection Rodz, brothers Jayme and Rodman Phillips, Jackie Ray and Matt Belcher will bend your ear if you're lucky enough to get a seat in their “mancave” on Skyline Drive in Stanford. What draws this unlikely group together is their love of vintage automobiles, but also the thrill of the hunt that's taken them as far away as Georgia in search of vehicles to “resurrect from the grave” Jayme Phillips said.

Main Street Furniture at 201 W. Main St. in Danville will hold a launch event of the "Antiques Roadshow" furniture collection by Pulaski. The line of furniture is inspired by antiques featured on the popular PBS TV series "Antiques Roadshow. " The event will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 18, and will introduce pieces of the new collection to the public. Guests will get a taste of the "Antiques Roadshow" series with free jewelry appraisals to uncover treasures they might own. Customers also can enter to win two tickets to go behind the scenes of an "Antiques Roadshow.

LANCASTER - A Paint Lick man being sought by police after he allegedly assaulted a Garrard County woman on Saturday died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Timothy Snowden, 57, apparently shot himself at his mother's home in Irvine after Kentucky State Police and Estill County deputy sheriffs arrived at the home Saturday night on JR Furniture Road. Authorities had gone to the home to arrest Snowden for assault, unlawful imprisonment and violating a protective order. After they arrived at the home, which is owned by Snowden's mother, police began evacuating the property and, while doing so, heard a single gunshot.

Finding a furniture store and undertaker joined in business might seem improbable at first. This unlikely combination, however, was once quite common and goes back many years. For example, when the now famous Thomas Chippendale first opened his London furniture shop in 1748, he made, sold and repaired all types of furniture and also did funerals. Naturally, furniture makers could and did produce burial caskets, but many furniture stores offered a good deal more including a full range of undertaking services, such as embalming, funerals and burials.

Winchester Police Department Charged - Charles W. Saylor, 37, of 214 W. Lexington Ave., was charged Friday with second-degree burglary. Reports - At 8:02 a.m., police received a report of stolen patio furniture at 145 Windsor Drive.

CRAB ORCHARD - A visitor to Mary and Mahlon Byler's Kountry Kitchen Store has to be persistent. Although visitors are directed to the store by a sign on Ky. 39 north of Crab Orchard, just at the point where motorists might be ready to give up on the narrow, winding road, a final sign directs them to the Bylers' neat, Amish homestead. "It is surprising how many people find us," said Mary Byler of the store the couple have operated at 902 Swamper Road for the past six years.

Dear Editor, Not too long ago, The Advocate-Messenger featured a story about our thrift store problems. People were stealing from our boxes and our furniture donations were down. Flash forward, and you will see that our store floors are now stocked with furniture. Also, people have been keeping an eye on our drop boxes for us. Things have been better. This turnaround would not be possible without The Advocate and the people of the community. The proceeds of our sales go toward our mission of changing lives for the better.

On behalf of the middle school and high school boys at Kentucky School for the Deaf, the Kentucky School for the Deaf Charitable Foundation thanks National Furniture Co. of Danville for its generous gift of custom-built furniture for the boys' residence hall - Middleton Hall.   National's Jennifer Kinslow with the crew of Gary Cain, Rodney Holt and Tim McCarty constructed two large three-seat sofas and two side chairs with a rich leather look as National's contribution to the dormitory renovation the school has taken on this year.

Wayne Wilson, 70, of Science Hill, passed away Thursday, Aug. 2, at his residence. Born July 6, 1942, in Pulaski County, Wayne was a son of the late Homer and Olvie Wilson.  He was a used furniture salesman with Wilson's Used Furniture. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Wayna Wilson; two brothers, Dallas  and Carthel Wilson; and one grandchild. Survivors include his wife, Shirley Haynes Wilson of Science Hill; two sons, Doug Turner of Dunneville and Ralph "Bud" Hall of Science Hill; five daughters, Ila Wilson Brooks of Lexington, Darla Blaylock of Knoxville, Tenn., Lolita Bradshaw of Wisconsin, Treasa Johnson of Science Hill and Kaye Pitman of Somerset; one brother, Gene (Sandy)