ROCK FALLS — Becky Hunter has thrived for four decades selling furniture by putting kindness before commerce.

It’s a philosophy that’s not only her served her well as the owner of a business that’s been around for 70 years, the past 30 with Hunter at the helm, but it’s one that served her former boss and store founder Harold Harrison well, too — the man whose legacy lives on not only in her approach to business, but on the front of the building.

Harold’s Furniture has been a part of Rock Falls’ business landscape for decades, and part of countless people’s homes for just as long, and the store has its namesake — and a rule worth its weight in gold — to thank for its longevity: Treat people the way you want to be treated.

It’s a simple but enduring philosophy that remains the heartbeat of a business, and Harold never even had to put it in words.

“He never said those words, but I just learned it by watching him,” Hunter said. “If you treat people kind, they’ll treat you kind. I’ve made so many friends over the years here.”

She’s also made a lot of sales, filling living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms with the latest in home furnishings and accessories that have made their way to Harold’s showroom through the years. It’s a journey that started as a job, became a career, and turned into a livelihood for Hunter — and this year she’s celebrating a milestone: 40 years at Harold’s.

A celebration is planned on Nov. 1 at the store.

Harrison hired Hunter as a 17-year-old high-schooler in 1985.

“He was like a second father to me,” Hunter said. “When he hired me, I asked him, ‘Are people going to take a 17-year-old serious selling furniture?’ He goes, ‘Yeah!’ I was in high school and I’d work on weekends and holidays to give the others a day off. He was a good guy and we just hit it off.”

Eventually she and her husband Shawn followed in Harrison’s footsteps, taking over the store after he died in 1995. Harrison’s only son Tony was moving to California after his father died, and he approached the Hunters to keep the store going.

The Hunters worked side-by-side at the business until Shawn died in September 2023. It was then that she really saw how meaningful the relationships they had built with customers and the community had become. The outpouring of support after Shawn’s passing touched Hunter; the same people who came to Harold’s for comfort in their homes offered comfort in Hunter’s heart during a difficult time.

“I’ve met so many people, and my husband met so many people,” Hunter said. “It’s a family. It’s a business, and I’ve done well, but it’s not about that. It’s about family and the community. This community comes together for everything. It’s a good community and we’re blessed to be here.”

Harold’s stocks a full line of home furnishings, showcasing primarily Ashley Furniture alongside selections from Best Home Furnishings and Perdue.

While embracing a tried-and-true approach to customer service, Harold’s has also made room for modern tools of the trade.

Customers can see what the store has to offer at haroldsfurniture1.com, as well as see what’s new on the store’s Facebook page. In store, customers can browse the store’s online catalog at a large electronic kiosk, allowing them see not only what Harold’s has, but what it can get. It’s a tool that’s like a sales floor with unlimited space, letting customers to browse hundreds of items that aren’t on the sales floor, with pictures, dimensions, color options and prices.

Time has made custom orders a smoother process, too. Three decades ago, “it could take 10 to 12 weeks” to get a custom piece to the store, Hunter said. Now, with improved logistics, the process is far more efficient and customer-friendly. Harold’s staff handles all delivery.

For those who don’t want to leave their couch to buy a new couch, Harold’s can work with them too.

“You could call and ask if we had a gray sofa in stock, and I’d say sure and ask for their number. You can get a text with that picture and then go, ‘I like it, I’ll take it. … I can text you a picture of this couch or this end table and say this is what I have in stock and this is the price. You have all of the different dimensions, and if it comes in a different color.”

Even as much as technology has transformed the shopping experience in recent years, many people are still fans of shopping in person, especially when it comes to something like furniture, where you can’t try out a chair or take a bed for for a test-rest on a website.

“People want to touch and feel and sit,” Hunter said. “You want to touch, you want to feel, you want to see, but the online is good, too.”

As with many businesses, styles and trends have changed through the years, and Hunter has seen her share of changes.

She can recall when bold and bright color schemes were popular in the 1980s, and when the 1990s saw a return to more subdued, earthy tones such as burgundy and light green. Keeping up with trends is an important part of the business, with neutral tones like gray and other light colors having dominated for the past decade as lighter fabrics brighten spaces. Bed-in-a-box mattresses are trending, too: they’re compressed, rolled and vacuum-sealed into a compact box, which allows for easier shipping and delivery compared to traditional mattresses.

Nuvella fabric is popular also: the more durable material stands up better to sunlight, spills and wear and tear. Have a dog that likes to scratch? Let Hunter and her staff know and they’ll help you find something that’ll fit the bill.

“Most fabric is good for dogs because for fabric nowadays, people want durable,” Hunter said. “The companies are making it durable and they’re thinking of dogs who scratch.”

When Harrison opened the business, the trends were more Mid-Century modern, with an emphasis on curves and functionality.

Harold’s story began in July 1957 as Harold’s Place on 12th Avenue, not far from its current location, in a building now occupied by William and Mary Computer and Lincare. Prior to opening his own place, he worked with his parents at Harrison’s Used Furniture on West Third Street in downtown Sterling for a few years. As the demand for more style and more options grew, Harrison decided to move and built his own building in 1985, where Harold’s remains today.

Most of the staff have been with Hunter for many years, including store manager Stacey Beer, who has worked there for 31 years. “If I didn’t have her, I couldn’t do it,” Hunter said. “She’s a godsend and an angel.”

Another longtime “employee” was LaRita, the Hunters’ African parrot that became the store’s mascot for 22 years — a favorite attraction for kids who tagged along with mom and dad. Larita died in 2014, but the feathered friend is still a fond memory for many who stopped by the store.

Through changing styles and new technology, Hunter has found strength in the people around her. To her, Harold’s isn’t just a store, but a place where she likes to think that when a sale is made, so is a friend.

It’s why she still finds joy in even the simplest parts of the job.

“The people. The customers,” Hunter said. “I like helping them make their house a home. I enjoy that. It’s fun to do.”