Sam Rouse, 24, Furniture Maker
The Triad is filled with furniture companies, but not many can boast of having graduated from the prestigious Chippendale International School of Furniture in Scotland.
Sam Rouse can.
“I’ve always loved making things with my hands. I really feel that I was created to make things with my hands. It’s a sense of enjoyment for me.”
After finishing school, Sam, a Goldsboro native, and his young family of three returned to North Carolina. Sam was walking down Elm Street and took a turn onto West Lewis Street and stumbled upon The Forge. He went in and got a tour and loved it. “We moved to Greensboro because of the Forge. It showed the type of support a maker like myself wanted.”
Sam, 24, also went to the Nussbaum Center where they helped him get started. Local businesses close to the Forge, like HQ Greensboro, have also helped him in the early going.
Currently, Sam has a piece on display/for sale at HQ Greensboro that he collaborated with local designer, Hillary Norman on; “she designed it and I built it.”
“I’ve been really impressed with the support from Greensboro. Greensboro has a wealth of information and knowledge. I’ve adapted quickly and can easily call Greensboro home now.”
In addition to making and creating furniture, Sam would one day like to eventually start a maker’s space for wood working workshops.
Walt Disney is one of Sam’s heroes in the business world because of his work ethic and desire to do everything to the best of his abilities. “Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.”
