New Roots Stories
Where new beginnings make the news
Furniture / Retail
El Dorado Furniture
Founded by Simón Capó, a Cuban refugee who fled by sailboat in 1966 after the family’s furniture business in Cuba was seized
18 showrooms/outlets today · 817 employees and $131.5M in sales per the most recent independently reported figures (2010)
The Founder’s Story
Named “El Dorado” after the boat the family escaped on. Simon’s son Manuel Capo—the first Hispanic inductee into the American Furniture Hall of Fame—led the company’s growth, and the Capo family remains involved in ownership and operations today.
Real Impact
Employment
- Described by a local news feature as providing jobs and financial security to numerous families, with staff volunteer work built into company culture. [CBS12]
Locally Sourced Products
We couldn’t verify a specific public program here. If you know of one, tell us.
Charitable & Community Work
- Runs a “50 Years/50 Families” community-giving campaign providing home furnishings to families in need, including military veterans. [CBS12]
- Donated outdoor furniture to create the “FMU Scholars Lounge” at Florida Memorial University, a historically Black university, in 2022. [Florida Memorial University]
- Ran a Venezuela earthquake relief donation drive across all stores with the Global Empowerment Mission, and maintains ongoing partnerships with 12 nonprofits including Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. [El Dorado Furniture]
Sources: Home Furnishings Hall of Fame · Home Accents Today · CBS12 · Florida Memorial University · El Dorado Furniture
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