Love Your Furniture, Live Your Life
When you step through the doors of O.P. Jenkins Furniture and Design in downtown Knoxville, it’s not unusual to be overcome by a sense of comfort and belonging. The very essence of the space comes from five family generations worth of furniture and design work, dating all the way back to 1907. Since then, thousands of people have walked through the doors and found either that perfect piece they had been looking for or a room design they adored. A lot of happiness has occurred here.
“It’s not about the furniture; it’s about the people,” says Meg Troutman, co-owner of the business with her husband Terry. “We care about people and love what we do, and enjoy helping others create a vision for their home.”
Not much about O.P. Jenkins has changed in the last century. They remain a large furniture boutique where they bring clients unique, one-of-a-kind furnishings and accessories that they themselves would have in their own homes. As tradition would have it, customer service remains at the heart of how those furnishings find their forever spaces, just as it did when the store’s namesake Oliver Perry Jenkins opened his doors that first day more than a century ago.
While Jenkins’ family has stayed true to the roots of Jenkins’ original vision, O.P. Jenkins has evolved over the years; it has become so much more than simply a furniture store. When Terry Troutman joined the business back in 1984, he brought with him a desire to increase the design element in the store and offer interior design expertise in addition to furnishings. Today, the team at O.P. Jenkins offers furnishings to work with all budgets. Clients walk in every day and work with staff to completely makeover their homes. “This is the era of people loving their homes,” Terry often says.
With four floors and nearly 40,000 square feet of showroom space, it’s easy to see how that can be possible. The inventory in the store changes six days a week all throughout the year, making it likely that customers will find different options aNd new ideas every single visit. O.P. Jenkins is the perfect mix of new pieces and antiques. Clients can purchase items off the floor or place custom orders with the design team to truly make shopping a personal experience. Whether they come in with the plan to completely redesign their spaces or are imply inspired once they walk through the doors, Terry, Meg and their team of 11 interior designers are at the ready to plan spaces, select paint, consider customer upholstery and more.
“We strive to make the experience more than just about the furniture,” Meg says. “It’s the people and relationships we love.” In addition to furniture, clients will also find local artwork and items from local craftsman. “Knoxville has a story to tell, and we feel like we’re part of it,” Says whom?
So whether clients are looking for a specific piece or ready to be inspired, they know they can count on the O.P. Jenkins team. After all, it’s not about the furniture, it’s about the people.