Saying farewell to icon Bob Bush Sr.

The home furnishings industry lost a lion in this new year. Bob Bush Sr., a legendary figure in furniture and mattress circles, died in Hickory, N.C., on Jan. 2. He was 78.

Bush, known for his colorful sport coats, devoted more than 50 years to his beloved Hickory Springs, a company he helped build into the major force it is today. “He lived and breathed Hickory Springs,” the company said. Sadly, that kind of devotion is increasingly rare these days.

Bob Bush Sr. loomed large at Hickory Springs. He stood out in dress – and in his words and actions. He was a man of strong
convictions, which he shared with those around him, and was possessed of a strong drive to strengthen his company. He was a pioneer.

I first met him back in the 1980s when I began covering the mattress beat. And I was lucky enough to see him in 2008 at the American Furniture Hall of Fame banquet in High Point. Bush, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006, was among the past winners who attended that banquet. It turned out to be the last public tribute he would receive in his memorable life.

Now I join his former colleagues at Hickory Springs and his many friends at furniture and bedding companies across the industry in saluting the career of an industry icon. They don’t make many people like Bob Bush Sr. Our industry would be stronger if they did.