Jude and Jody Iconic Furniture Store Closes Its Doors

It’s an iconic Oklahoma furniture store started by two country musicians who just really loved folks.

“Jody was Harold Dean Taylor and Jude was Julian Delane Northcutt and out of that they came up with Jude and Jody,” said Jude’s son J.D. Northcutt.

They were two best friends who hosted their television show and sold furniture. “You mention we love folks, and everybody is like Jude and Jody, Jude and Jody,” said Northcutt.

They opened the furniture store in 1964 branching off on their own after working at Mathis Brothers. “People that saw them on the television show wanted to come in and buy from the guys that they saw performing on the television show,” said Northcutt.

The furniture store was a huge success, but not even close to the success of their television show. “Merle Haggart, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty, the list went on and on,” said Northcutt.

At the side of the stage with all the stars was J. D., not even realizing he was in the presence of country music royalty. “You know as I got older, I’ve come to appreciate it a lot more,” said Northcutt.

Tucked away in the vault of the store were the old show videos and his dad’s prized guitar. “They were just good guys, hardworking guys that had a dream,” said Northcutt.

Growing up around the furniture store Northcutt remembers the impact the store had on so many Oklahomans. “People would come in and this was back before a signed contract it was a handshake,” said Northcutt.  

He worked at the store from his early teens and took over the store after the passing of Jude and Jody. But after sixty years of business, Northcutt says it’s just time to move on. “We don’t really have another generation to pass the business on to, that’s why we went ahead and made the decision to kind of go out on our terms,” said Northcutt.

As the family and the city say goodbye to an Oklahoma legacy. “Tip our cap to all the people that have supported, the “we love folks” nation for all these years,” said Northcutt. 

Northcutt says this isn’t a sad occasion, as he puts it, after sixty years, it is simply just time. They have sold the properties to a new owner and will officially close at the end of the month.