Bob Mills took a chance on himself when he was just 23 years old. With no money to start a business, he turned to his widowed mother for a $25,000 loan and opened a small furniture store in Oklahoma City. More than five decades later, that decision had grown into a 12-store retail business across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Now, Mills has died at 79, his family announced Monday, November 9, 2026.
His death was announced in a statement shared through Bob Mills Furniture’s social media page. His wife, Margaret, and their children described the loss as heartbreaking, saying his passing would be felt by the many people whose lives he touched. They also thanked the employees, customers and supporters who helped turn his original idea into a successful family business.
The family made one important announcement alongside the news of his death: Bob Mills Furniture will remain in business. They said the company would continue operating under the same values and commitment that had guided it for decades. The family also said Mills was proud not only of what the company had become but, more importantly, of the people who helped build it.
Mills’ business journey started after he completed college in 1969. Born in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, he moved to Oklahoma City with his family at age 13. He graduated from Putnam City High School in 1965 and later attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in business and music.
His first job after college was far removed from the furniture business. He worked as a clerk typist for an insurance company, earning $400 per month. He had also played saxophone in a rock band while studying at college, but he eventually began looking for a better opportunity.
An insurance salesman who had previously worked in the furniture industry helped change his direction. After speaking with the man, Mills learned that opening a furniture store would cost around $25,000. It was more money than he had, but he was determined to make the idea work.
He approached his widowed mother and asked her to provide the money as a loan. She agreed, but the arrangement came with a condition: he would have to repay her and provide a return on her investment. Mills accepted the terms and moved ahead with his plans.
On July 3, 1971, he opened his first store in a former grocery building at 2625 S.W. 29th Street in Oklahoma City. The young businessman had little more than an idea, borrowed money and the willingness to take a risk. That first location became the starting point of a business that would eventually reach customers in three states.
Mills did not build the company through store locations alone. He also made himself part of its public identity. In 1973, he introduced the Bob Mills Furniture Country TV Show, which featured musical performances by company employees and appearances by well-known country performers, including Merle Haggard and Charlie Daniels. The program remained on television until 1982.
His advertisements later became another part of the company’s identity. Mills was known for wearing colorful and unusual sweaters, along with the slogan “The Working Man’s Friend.” Customers across the region came to recognize the founder as the face of the business.
The original store eventually became too small for the company’s growing operations. In the late 1980s, the business moved to a larger facility at 3600 W. Reno Avenue in Oklahoma City. The 110,000-square-foot flagship remains in operation and serves as the company’s corporate headquarters.
The company eventually expanded into Tulsa and several Texas markets, including Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, Temple, Waco and San Antonio. It later added stores in Schertz and San Juan, Texas, and entered Kansas with a Wichita location in 2021. The business now operates 12 showrooms across the three states.
Mills’ family was closely involved in the company’s growth. His wife, Margaret, and their children, Bryan, Tuesday and Chris, all played roles in the family enterprise. His grandson, Brayden Dyson, also gained experience working in different parts of the business, including its warehouse, sales and store operations.
The company also developed a record of community involvement through partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity and Toys for Tots. Its activities have included donations, fundraising and volunteer work in communities where its stores operate.
While the family has not announced the cause of Mills’ death, it has confirmed that funeral and memorial service arrangements are still being determined. The family said further information would be shared when plans are finalized.
Mills leaves behind a business that began with a $25,000 loan from his mother and grew into a regional retailer with 12 stores. The company will continue under his family’s direction, but the man whose name became its identity is gone. For the people who knew him, worked with him or watched his advertisements over the years, his death closes a chapter that began with one small store in Oklahoma City.