May 27, 2026
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.
On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Alex Shuford III, CEO of Rock House Designer Brands, the family-rooted holding company behind Century Furniture, Hancock & Moore, Hickory Chair, and more. A self-described English major turned furniture executive, Alex traces his winding journey from running interior design shops in the San Francisco Bay Area through the dot-com bust to leading one of North Carolina's signature manufacturers. He shares candid takes on navigating tariffs and thin margins, why he sees AI as a "job enhancer" rather than a threat, and the company's return to the lighting category. Plus, a shared love of the Grateful Dead.