By DEBRA DUNLAP

Scruggs Furniture Store is a Bowie landmark.

It’s been on the corner of Smythe and Tarrant streets for 55 years. Directions are given for downtown locations based on their relationship to Scruggs.

For example, “The newspaper office? Sure I know where it is – right across the street from Scruggs Furniture.”

Owner James Scruggs, who was recently honored for completing 50 years as a volunteer firefighter in Bowie, is as much a part of the landscape as the building that houses his business. His business career began as a teenager when he went to work for Richardson Furniture. He has been with it ever since.

The most memorable fire he ever fought? “July 23, 1990, starting at 2:30 in the afternoon,” he recalled with a wry smile. “That was the day my own store burned down. When that happened, I thought it might be time to do something else. Then I realized I don’t know how to do anything else. Besides that, Bowie has been good to us. So I rebuilt.”

The store is now so much a part of the landscape that one can drive by without even paying much attention to the building. However, if you look close, the 72-year-old has a a surprise for you, a classic car showroom. Pictured: James Scruggs shows off his 1934 Ford sitting in the mirrored showroom. (Photo by Debra Dunlap) Read the full feature in the weekend News.