Furniture building gets new life

The Brown Furniture Building has long been a familiar landmark in Ozona. Its story begins in 1965, when J.D. Brown, owner of Brown Furniture Company of Grand Prairie, purchased the long-standing Ratliff Furniture Company in Ozona. The sale became official on March 1, 1965, marking the end of the Ratliff name after nearly two decades and the beginning of Brown Furniture as a staple local business.

For many years, Brown Furniture served the community with home furnishings and household goods, becoming one of Ozona’s reliable downtown storefronts. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, its ads and announcements regularly appeared in The Ozona Stockman, reflecting its steady presence in local life. The business eventually closed, but the building itself—often referred to simply as “the old Brown Furniture Building”—remained a recognizable part of Avenue E and a piece of Ozona’s commercial history.

In 2008, the building was purchased by Ginger Womack Perner, who shared a deep love for Christmas. She continued the tradition of decorating the building each holiday season, keeping alive one of the most cherished legacies of the original Brown Furniture era.

Now, in December 2025, the Brown Furniture Building is opening its doors once again, time as The Emerald Party Co., managed by Julian and Candace Gallarzo. They are excited to reopen the space during the Christmas season, a meaningful tribute to both J.D. Brown and Ginger Womack Perner, whose Christmas displays made the building shine year after year. 

The grand opening begins with a festive Christmas Market on Dec. 6, and the revitalized building will serve the community as a rental venue for parties, gatherings, pop-ups, and local events. Its return honors a place woven into Ozona’s past while giving it new life.

This story was created through AI.