In the early 1930's Ben and Eva Winter took a risk and invested in a Derby Gas Station, along with a soda fountain - which they named, Howdy Come In, on Highway 50, west of Emporia, Kansas. They also purchased four milk cows and named them Silk, Faith, Perseverance, and Hope. As the cows produced more milk than expected they began making a family specialty - homemade frozen custard. It soon became the featured item at the Howdy Come In. Eva would delight customers with her joyous attitude and by adding "a little extra on top" to every serving of frozen custard. The Winter's homemade frozen custard became so popular, they soon delivered it throughout the streets of Emporia, first by horse drawn wagon, then by motorized wagon. One day a hitchhiker stopped in the Howdy with two suitcases, one for his clothing and the second for his cabinet making tools. Ben and Eva hired him to use some walnut lumber in one of the barns to make a chifferobe for the soon to be born baby boy, "Bobby" (second generation owner, Bob Winter). Ben and Eva were so impressed with the craftsmanship of the chifferobe, Ben was inspired to acquire furniture from local farm auctions and have the cabinetmaker recondition it. Soon the dairy barn became home to new and reconditioned furniture, and the beginning of the Winter Furniture Store. After several years, Ben and Eva desired to grow the business they had grown to love and moved the store from the dairy barn to downtown Emporia. A generation later, in 1967, Bob Winter and wife Joyce, joined the family business. They moved from Denver, Colorado where Bob got his start as a buyer for Davis and Shaw Furniture. Bob worked along with his brother Richard and father Ben for nearly 30 years at Winter Furniture in Emporia.