If you’re reading this article, then you’re likely an avid
Fort Thomas Matters reader. If
that is the case, then you must have seen the passion shared by the writers at
FTM for the Brighton Center, evident in the Mark vs. Food donations made,
articles written, and support of the Center. The Brighton Center, and many other social service
organizations, embodies what is so nice about a community such as ours. What is even more refreshing for us at
FTM is to see is when we find our community advertisers sharing not only in our
passion for supporting local charities, but the same charity.
Such is the case with Best Furniture and the Brighton
Center. When perusing the
Brighton Center’s website, I saw that Best Furniture (along with FTM, of course) is
listed as a “Corporate Partner” which makes sense given that the mission of the
Brighton Center is to “create opportunities for individuals and families to
reach self-sufficiency.”
That tracks along quite nicely with Charlie Best,
founder and original owner of Best Furniture, who began selling radios and
electronics in 1941 but realized his passion for furniture, and path to his own
self-sufficiency, after returning from the War. He founded his shop in 1945 and it has been with only 3
different owners, all Fort-Thomas based, since then.
In 2002, Craig and Carolynn Reis purchased Best Furniture,
did a complete renovation, and decided to return some of their good-fortune to
the community. In 2011, they
hosted “Feast for your Home” to great success and hosted it again toward the
end of 2012 with all proceeds from both benefits and even a part of their
proceeds from furniture sales going toward the Brighton Center.
In a community like Fort Thomas, I am glad to be able to
support community-owned and community-supported businesses like Best Furniture
especially knowing they reinvest in the community. That is the essence of what makes our community great. The Craig and Carolynn Reis’, and there
are many of them, deserve to be celebrated.
So, with April 15 around the corner and tax returns on their
way, spend a little extra at our community-owned businesses like Best Furniture
and know that your new couch or “Stressless” chair is supporting a business
that supports a charity that supports our community. Way more than just lumbar support.
You can also find more information on their website and facebook.
Go check them out.
Editor’s Note:
I’m barging into Jessica’s article to post a few pictures of some of the rearranging of the showroom at Best.
Their Design Loft has moved and expanded. It’s now front and center, right went you walk into the showroom. To give you more of a visual, it’s now at 0:30 of our video we did last August.
The old Design Loft is now the Custom Dining Gallery (at 1:05 of the video).
The new layout works really well. Their store is so expansive that their customers going to buy dining room furniture tends to be more of a destination purchase. They know what they need. The Design Loft’s new location allows customers to be creative and picture what would work in their home right up front.