The Journey from Sonshine Furniture to Broyhill Home Collections

Lael Thompson once rode his skateboard on the cavernous second floor of Sonshine Unfinished Furniture. When he was sick, he drank orange juice while resting in a sleeping bag in the store's office. Now 25 years old, Lael is overseeing the installation of computer cables and layout changes in the store that has been a part of his family for two decades. Sonshine, at Colfax Avenue and Galena Street, is going through a $2 million transformation from family shop to Broyhill Home Collections store, the first Broyhill store in Colorado. And management is slowly changing hands - from Tom and Sylvia Thompson to their youngest son, Lael. "My parents paved the way," he said.

Sonshine Unfinished Furniture opened in 1983 with $12,000, 3,000 square feet of space in Aaron's Office Supplies and a lot of faith. "The only way it was going to happen for us was to find a location that was easy to find and that was inexpensive," said Tom, 60. The building, the largest along that stretch of Colfax, was built in 1950 for J.C. Penney. But in the late '70s, J.C. Penney moved to the Aurora Mall. Shortly thereafter, other stores in the area followed. Within five years of opening, Sonshine was using the entire building, and in 1995 the family purchased the 54,000-square- foot facility.

By that time, Colfax was bare. No Blockbuster. No Walgreens. No King Soopers. Yet Sonshine, like the area itself, was resilient. While the store chalked up only $7,000 in sales its first year, it topped $1.25 million in 2004. Their persistence was evident. "They were a great example to everybody around," Caldwell said. "Tom would say, 'This area is going to turn around, and we are going to stay here,' and they did." "We made a commitment to the community, and now the community is making a commitment to us," said Sylvia, 54. For the Thompsons, the move to become a designated store was Tom's idea. It took him almost eight months to convince Sylvia and Lael it was a good idea. Today, it's Lael leading his family into Broyhill land.

"The urban redevelopment, the planned housing growth and the general revitalization of the Aurora market presents an excellent opportunity," said Sharon Stroupe, director of Broyhill Retail Store Development.. The new store is projected to have $3 million in sales its first year and is expected to exceed $10 million. The design and color scheme of the store are coming from Broyhill. But just as in 1983, the money, ownership and business grit are all Thompson. Now on the board of the Western Home Furnishings Association, Lael has a broad vision, with dreams of opening more Broyhills in the Denver area. The family praises those who helped along the way, including the city. Aurora's grant and loan programs provided $450,000 for part of the remodel. It's a decades-long partnership that works both ways.

Why did the Thompsons choose Broyhill? For nearly a century, the name Broyhill has been associated with fine quality furniture making. And, just like the Thompsons, the guiding force that has defined the company and its products has been a commitment to quality, value and service. Today, the Broyhill brand is recognized by more than 90 percent of consumers, making it one of the country's best-known, full-line furniture brands.

The Thompsons and Broyhill offer some helpful tips—as well as the motivation—to get you started on your next decorating project. Visions: A Decorating Workbook is geared to remove the fear of interior design and to help you identify your own style and make your own decorating decisions.

Browse this site for the furniture style that best fits your needs and save your favorites to your own wish list. Then stop by the store to see the furniture in person. Visit with the Thompsons while you are there -they can help you reach your final goal by providing additional information about the products shown on this site. For nearly 100 years, Broyhill has been committed to offering quality furniture at affordable prices in a wide variety of styles. Thank you for your interest in Denver’s first Broyhill furniture store.