Ken Dunlap was a 17-year-old college student when he started working at Plywood and Lumber of Fort Worth. Now, after 47 years in the carpentry business, he runs Wood-Land Finished and Unfinished Furniture in Plano.
Since its opening in 2009, the store has carried unfinished, finished and custom-made furniture. The store also offers a line of Amish pieces made in Ohio.
Having worked everywhere—from the delivery room to procurement and sales—Dunlap enjoys doing anything that relates to furniture, from helping customers pick out the right pieces to finding the right finish and stain.
Looking around the store, his gaze lingered on the office cabinet he sat in front of. “I want this to be the place from where I retire,” he said.
For Store Manager Roy Coronado, the smell of fresh wood and finish feels like home. Like Dunlap, Coronado has been in the furniture business for many years. “People come in here and say, ‘I just want to smell the wood,’” Coronado said.
Wood-Land prides itself in carrying original hardwood furniture as opposed to flimsier material used today, Dunlap said. The store started selling finished furniture to stay competitive in the market. In an age where people prefer to buy easy-to-make and quick furniture, Dunlap said selling only unfinished furniture might turn away some customers.
Furniture from various U.S. vendors can be found at their Plano store. Dunlap said people can get their furniture custom-made according to the size, type of wood, finish and style they prefer, which are manufactured at their mill in Terrell. Coronado said they carry chairs, tables, beds, bookcases and even patio furniture of varying prices.
As Dunlap walks around the store, he points out different tables made out of various wood types. “Its not particleboard or veneered,” Dunlap said, knocking on a table made of maple wood. “This would last you for [a] long [time].”
Coronado said he is the retail arm of the furniture store, while Dunlap is an expert in wholesale. Coronado sketches different designs to give customers an idea of what a certain table, chair or cabinet might look like in their room. “I wanted to do something more than showing furniture,” he said. “So I learned how to draw. Customers appreciate that.”
Longtime salesperson Martha Tinney said many people walk in wanting to replicate what they see on Pinterest, so she keeps an eye out for finishes and stains people might like. Adding finish and staining the furniture by themselves gives them a sense of accomplishment, she said. “I like having people achieve their goals of decorating their homes,” Tinney said.