More Than a Sale: How Bulluck Furniture Built a Rocky Mount Tradition

When W.A. Bulluck opened a small furniture store in Rocky Mount in 1900, he probably didn’t imagine that more than a century later, people would still be gathering under the Bulluck name — not just to shop, but to take part in what has become one of the area’s most recognizable local traditions.

Today, Bulluck Furniture is one of Eastern North Carolina’s longest-running home furnishings businesses, and its annual Warehouse Sale is less of a retail event and more of a community ritual.

A Business Built on Generations

Bulluck Furniture began as a modest, family-run store serving a growing Rocky Mount. Over time, the business passed through generations, evolving alongside the city itself. A major turning point came in 1962, when W.A. Bulluck’s grandson, Bill Kincheloe, returned home from college and took over operations. Under his leadership, Bulluck’s expanded beyond basic furniture retail and became known for stylish home design, curated décor, and professional decorating services.

What remained constant, however, was the company’s commitment to personal service and deep local roots. For many families, Bulluck Furniture wasn’t just where you bought a sofa — it was where you furnished your first apartment, your first home, or your forever home.

From Storefront to Community Event

That sense of connection is what makes the Bulluck Warehouse Sale so unique.

Held each year inside the historic Phipps Warehouse in downtown Rocky Mount, the sale transforms tens of thousands of square feet into a massive indoor marketplace filled with discounted furniture, lighting, artwork, rugs, and home accessories. Shoppers come knowing they’ll find everything from designer pieces to unexpected one-of-a-kind treasures — often at dramatic markdowns.

But the real draw isn’t just the prices.

For many locals, the sale has become a winter tradition. Friends plan trips together. Couples make it a Saturday ritual. Some shoppers return year after year, swapping stories about the lamp they found five years ago or the dining table that’s still the centerpiece of their home.

It’s one of those rare events where you’re just as likely to run into neighbors as you are to find the perfect accent chair.

A Reflection of Rocky Mount Itself

Bulluck Furniture’s story mirrors Rocky Mount’s own evolution — a city shaped by history, resilience, and a strong sense of place. Through economic shifts, downtown changes, and new generations of shoppers, Bulluck’s has remained a steady presence, adapting without losing its identity.

In a world where so many retailers come and go, Bulluck Furniture has done something increasingly rare: it has stayed local, stayed relevant, and stayed rooted in relationships.

That’s what turns the Warehouse Sale into something more than a clearance event. It’s a reminder of how small businesses become landmarks, how traditions are built quietly over decades, and how a furniture store can become part of a community’s collective memory.

Because at Bulluck’s, people aren’t just shopping for furniture — they’re participating in a story that’s been unfolding in Rocky Mount for more than 120 years.