NO ROCKING CHAIRS FOR FURNITURE RETIREES

George and Bernie Barker of Marble Hill have been in the furniture business long enough to have sold couches to the grandchildren of their first customers.

In 1950 the couple bought Hawkins' Furniture and Dry Goods and renamed it Barker's Furniture. Although the business changed locations several times, the name remained the same.

After Christmas the Barkers will head south for a stay in their condominium at Treasure Island, Fla., but their daughter and son-in-law will keep the furniture store open, maybe for another 45 years.

"We're retiring but we'll still be connected with the store," said George Barker. "We'll help the kids do the buying, they're learning the bookkeeping end of it now."

Located at 111 First St., Barker's Furniture covers 15,000 square feet in a building that was a Chevrolet garage in 1960, when the Barkers bought it. They've added onto the building, and have a 5,000-square-foot warehouse nearby.

In the early days, the business carried, besides furniture, wallpaper, paint, floor coverings, pots, pans and hardware. Westinghouse and Philco were the top name-brand items sold.

Today, the business centers around furniture, TVs and appliances. Whirlpool, Maytag and Zenith products abound.

"A big part of our business is appliances," said Barker. "We probably have 300 pieces in stock. Our most popular furniture is made of oak with natural finish.

"Back when we started a lot of the furniture came out of St. Louis. There were 'jobbers' there who would buy it from manufacturers and resell it.

"Now, everything is bought direct from manufacturers mostly in the South like Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas."

George Barker was born in Marble Hill and his wife, Bernie, was born in Murphysboro, Ill. They both attended Lutesville High School in Bollinger County. They married in 1945 and next July they'll celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

"It's been a pleasure living and working here," said Bernie Barker. "We started out serving newlyweds, now we serve their children or grandchildren."

George Barker says they know of some third and fourth generation people "who have done business with us. We're real pleased with that."

Customers of Barker's Furniture come from a multi-county area -- Wayne, Stoddard, Cape and Bollinger. And the business delivers to those counties.

There are usually five employees at the store. The Barkers have always done about 90 percent of the floor selling, and a manager also helps out.

In a photo frame near the cash register is the store's original bill of sale. Dated Feb. 15, 1934, it lists the items and prices of the first load of furniture used to stock the business during the Depression.

"The whole store was stocked for $64.75," said George Barker, holding the bill of sale and smiling. "So you know that was a long time ago."