Lifetime Ronan residents and Total Home business owners Audrey and Gordon Granley are ready to slow down a little bit. But before they retire from nearly 40 years in the furniture business, they decided they’d go out with a bang, and the blowout sale marking their final working days was in full swing last week.

The Great $1 million Retirement Sale in honor of the couples decision to retire had the Total Home store on U.S. Highway 93 in Ronan busy with bargain seekers and the pair on their feet.

Being surrounded by recliners for 37 years hasn’t meant a lot of rest for the business owners, who will now take time to really see Montana, garden and just take time to smell the roses. It wasn’t easy finding time to talk, but once they took a minute, it was easy to see how sweet retirement is going to be.

“I’m  going to clean the house,” Audrey said.

“We both want to get a much better look at Montana,” Gordon said.

Twelve-hour days spent running two businesses, the couple also owns 93 Discount in Ronan, means typical days begin at around 7:30 a.m. and end after 6 p.m. Audrey also does interior design work. In between the work, the couple  raised three children, Kraig, Adam and Kelsey.

Through their work they’ve constantly tackled other challenges of running a business in a small town. Hurdles were overcome by simply enjoying serving people, and being able to bend with the wind.

“Not everything works right and you have to take care of what doesn’t work right,” Gordon said.

Their eight person staff is like family, Audrey said, which gives additional support. The support they’ve seen from the Ronan community as business trends said bigger was better has also ensured the success of the business.

As concrete travel and garden plans are still forming, they said they know one thing - Ronan is there home and that’s where they’ll stay. 

“We wouldn’t be anywhere else, this is where we want to be,” Gordon said.

Audrey grew up in Ronan. The Granley’s other business, 93 Discount, is operated on a piece of her family’s original property.

Gordon came to the area in 1956. That’s when his parents teamed with the Hanson family to start Hanson and Granley. That store expanded and moved from Main Street in 1972. About that time, Gordon had graduated from the University of Montana and his uncle was retiring from the family business at Hanson and Granley.

“Gordon graduated from college and decided that’s what he wanted to do,” Audrey said.

He bought the interest and stock from his uncle’s store and Total Home was born. An expansion and move of Total Home took place in 1993. The new store was built to suit the inventory. Today, the store’s furniture selection is well-known throughout the state.

Now it’s time for the third generation to take over, and because the business is staying in the family the transition to retirement will be that much more relaxing. The Granley’s middle son, Adam, is buying the store. Adam has worked at Total Home for eight years, meaning Gordon has been able to phase out of the business.

“We’ve done a great job in setting it up to run, and you just have to be willing to let go,” Gordon said.

Beyond Adam, they have complete confidence in the rest of the Total Home team, Audrey said.

An official retirement date hasn’t been set for the Granley’s. They’ll be done after the sale concludes, then the store will be completely restocked and rearranged.