Woody’s Furniture
SEVEN DECADES OF SERVICE
an interview with Howard Woodworth
by Steve Wharton
Unlocking the door of his new
business for the first time in 1950,
Wendell couldn’t have imagined that
it would still be going strong well into
the next century. He was just hoping
to still be in business in 1951.
No one in his hometown of Raton
knew him as Wendell. Everyone
called him “Woody” from his last
name, Woodworth. It was the start of
“the era of new electrical appliances
for the home”, so Woody opened
an electrical appliance business
called “Modern Electric” located
on Second Street (the old Masonic
Temple building) in downtown
Raton, New Mexico. Woody sold
back to Raton to expand his father’s
appliance store into furniture and
floor covering in 1970. The store
renamed to “Woody’s Furniture”
moved to Cook and 2 nd Street in
1973 offering delivery, installation
and removal of old appliances and
furniture to all families in northern
New Mexico and southern Colorado.
They had to rebuild after a major fire
in 1977 to the store which fronts on
2 nd Street to this day.
Employees at Woody’s have always
been like an extended family. That
probably explains years of satisfied,
returning customers bragging on the
great service. One of these extended
family members, Diane Atencio,
asked Howard if he was ready to
give up the helm and enjoy life more
Howard said how impressed he
is with the youthful energy Robert
and Diane have brought to the store.
“They’re doing more business than
ever”, he remarked. They continue
the family oriented policies to service
the regional community of New
Mexico and Colorado. Robert finds
it really rewarding to help a family
get their first set of furniture and
appliances to start their home.
over 90% of the televisions in Raton.
Many of which were manufactured
in Raton by Polish immigrant, Arthur
Maciszewski at ARF.
A change came after 20 successful
years in appliances. Wendell’s son
Howard returned to the family
business in Raton after securing an
MBA from the University of Denver
and working for a consulting firm for
a number of years. Howard moved
76
N
It’s great that personal service
oriented businesses like Woody’s
Furniture still exist in this age of
and work less. Howard was ready, so huge corporate and on line stores.
Diane set up a lunch meeting with
her husband Robert. Robert and
Diane had wanted to get a business of
their own for some time. This made
for a perfect match. The Atencios
bought the store in January of 2012
and kept Woody’s a family run
operation. Howard still comes into
the store, only now when he wants to.
New legends magazine