Bob Mills, the founder of Bob Mills Furniture, has died at 79, leaving behind a family business that grew from a single Oklahoma City store into a regional furniture chain with 12 locations across three states. His family announced his death Monday, November 9, 2026, describing it as a tremendous loss for their family and the many people whose lives he touched over the years.
In a statement shared on the company’s social media page, his wife, Margaret, and their children expressed their grief while reflecting on the business and the people who helped make it successful. They said Mills built more than a furniture company. He created a business founded on hard work, determination, personal relationships and a genuine belief in people. The family also made clear that the company would continue operating despite his death.
Mills’ journey began long before his name became familiar to furniture shoppers across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Born in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, he moved with his family to Oklahoma City when he was 13. He graduated from Putnam City High School in 1965 before attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. He earned bachelor’s degrees in business and music in 1969.
After graduating, Mills took a job as a clerk typist at an insurance company, earning just $400 a month. Although he had played saxophone in a rock band during college, he was looking for a different path. A conversation with an insurance salesman who had previously worked in furniture sales introduced him to the possibility of opening his own store.
Starting a furniture business would require approximately $25,000, money Mills did not have at the time. Rather than abandon the idea, he approached his widowed mother and asked her to lend him the money. She agreed, provided he repaid the loan with a return on her investment.
On July 3, 1971, at just 23 years old, Mills opened his first furniture store inside a former grocery building at 2625 S.W. 29th Street in Oklahoma City. What started as a modest business eventually became one of the region’s recognizable furniture retailers. The company expanded beyond its original market, reaching customers across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.
Mills also understood the power of advertising. In 1973, he launched the Bob Mills Furniture Country TV Show, a program that brought music and entertainment into the company’s marketing. Employees performed on the show, while country music stars, including Merle Haggard and Charlie Daniels, also made appearances. The program continued until 1982.
His television appearances helped turn him into a familiar face. Mills later became known for his colorful, sometimes unusual sweaters and the slogan “The Working Man’s Friend.” His personality became closely tied to the company, making him recognizable to generations of shoppers who encountered his advertisements.
As the business grew, the original store could no longer accommodate its operations. In the late 1980s, the company moved to a much larger facility at 3600 W. Reno Avenue in Oklahoma City. The 110,000-square-foot flagship store remains open and also houses the company’s corporate offices.
The retailer continued expanding over the years. Its 12 locations now serve customers in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio, San Juan, Schertz, Temple and Waco, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita location marked the company’s entry into Kansas in 2021, while newer Texas stores extended its reach into the San Antonio area and the Rio Grande Valley.
Family remained central to Mills’ business. His wife, Margaret, and their three children, Bryan, Tuesday and Chris, were involved in the company. His grandson, Brayden Dyson, also worked in several positions as the family prepared another generation to help lead the retailer.
Beyond selling furniture, the company developed relationships with organizations in the communities it served. Its partnerships have included Boys & Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity and Toys for Tots, with support ranging from donations and fundraisers to volunteer activities.
Mills’ death marks the end of a remarkable chapter for the business he started more than five decades ago. His family has assured customers and employees that the company will continue operating, guided by the values he established. The family said funeral and memorial arrangements had not yet been determined and promised to share further details when they become available.
For a young college graduate who once earned $400 a month typing documents, borrowing money from his mother to open a small furniture store was a major gamble. More than 55 years later, that decision had grown into a multistate family business bearing his name. His family now faces the loss of the man who started it all while preparing to carry his work forward.
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