Profile: Unruh Furniture
Handcrafted furniture with heart, made right here in KC.
All photos courtesy of Unruh
I got the chance to sit down with my coworkers: Sam Unruh, Founder of Unruh Furniture and Scout Marshall, Head of Sales, to ask questions about the business and the big move to the Plaza. Unruh Furniture has recently moved to the Made in KC Marketplace after their church in Midtown tragically collapsed. After being settled in the new space, Unruh is able and eager to add a beautiful custom piece to your home!
So, first, tell us how long Unruh Furniture has been around and what inspired you to create it?
Unruh started around 2012. I was building furniture for Hayley because we were newlyweds, and we were pregnant with Emma. We had just bought a house, we didn’t have any furniture and I was kind of a handy guy, but I didn’t know how to make furniture. So I just YouTubed “How to make a table” and I kinda got into making furniture just for her and just for us, not thinking I would ever do it as a living. Then I started making furniture and selling it on Craigslist as a hobby because I was bored and not loving what I was doing. I liked it, it was really fun. It started taking off and people bought it. I decided to go ahead and quit my other job and make furniture full time to see if it could work. After a Summer of doing it full time, we were paying our bills. Maybe 9 months after that, I kinda got lonely and tired of being all by myself in the garage all day, so I decided to try and grow it with employees and I got really lucky. The first two or three employees were awesome. They were just really fun guys, good to be around. It put a real good taste in my mouth for growth and I wanted to hire more employees because those guys were awesome. So, it kind of organically grew from there to what it is now.
- Sam
How has the transition from the church to Made In KC Market been?
It’s been great. The tragedy of losing the church has been the hardest point in our company’s history, but joining the folks at Made in KC has helped soften the blow. I love it here. They’ve cultivated a very comfortable and laid-back shopping experience on the plaza, so it was a natural collaboration. We produce high-end products, but we try to make customers feel relaxed and comfortable in our showroom. We’re excited to be the newest addition to their community.
- Scout
Tell us about the #Momfund
When we were starting we found a mom who just needed a table and I decided to make it and give it to her. It was awesome! She loved it. Then we just found a bunch of single moms who wanted a table. We started doing that a long time ago, I think the second year of the business. Unruh started giving one away a month.
- Sam
It quickly became clear how important having a piece of furniture to gather around at the end of each day is, and thus the #Momfund was born. We’ve met such amazing moms who raise kids on their own and work tirelessly for their families. Helping the moms design a piece for their family to gather around for meals, homework, and hobbies is my favorite part of the job. I was also raised by a single mom, so my appreciation for them is personal. How hard they work for others, the sacrifices they make, and the love behind everything they do is not lost on me.
-Scout
Do you have a favorite Unruh Furniture piece? - I think the Colby Table is our most timeless product. It can go in a traditional, modern, or mid-century home and feel intentional while also tying the space together. We want these to be pieces you have forever and pass on to generations to come. I think the Colby Table is the epitome of this concept. That’s the table I will be buying once I buy a house!
- Scout
Do you have any advice for another person wanting to open a local/KC business? - Connect to your community! Kansas City is such a friendly place, the people who live here really want to connect with the things they spend their money on and the people who make them. Especially since COVID, I’ve noticed a sharp increase in client relations to buying local. Be genuine. If you believe in what you do, what you create, what service you provide, your authenticity will only help you!
- Scout
