05-08-2025
‘It's home:' Diving into 72 years of family history at Sloan Furniture in Our Town Morrisonville
MORRISONVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — They say some of the best memories are made around the kitchen table. In 'Our Town Morrisonville,' one family has dedicated the past seven decades to making sure people have some of the best furniture inside their homes.
Sloan Furniture took over a space that had previously been a grocery store and then opened its doors in the 900-person town of Morrisonville in 1953.
Between then and now, the current owner, Rita Sloan, has seen a lot of changes within the business, whether that's trends leading to selling more items like recliners, or fewer kitchen sets.
'Back in those days, people had big families and big family dinners. But now, people have eliminated their dining rooms,' Sloan said.
At 96, Sloan is still going. She's dedicated to the shop and everyone who walks through the front door.
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'I like working with people, and I also like working with furniture,' she said with a smile.
Here's the thing: she didn't necessarily think she would ever call this her career. First, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Missouri. Then, she worked for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in Springfield.
'I worked as a social worker for many years,' she explained.
After retiring, she found her way back to the family business to help her mom. Little did she know that lending a helping hand would spark a love story for furniture she never saw coming.
'It's home! This is where my roots are!' she said.
Sloan is from a family of 11 and is now the oldest of four living children. She'll be turning 97 next month! She grew up going to the Morrisonville Bull Frog Festival as well. That's where you can find the WCIA-3 News team on Friday, Aug. 8, during the 5 and 6 p.m. broadcasts.
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