About Us
The Nashville Murphy Bed Story: From General Dynamics to Mid-State Craftsmanship
In 2014, Nashville was exploding and transforming. Longtime friends Billy Simon and Pete Strayer saw a problem: homes in South Nashville and Crieve Hall were losing their guest rooms to home offices and nurseries. Leveraging the precision they honed during their time at General Dynamics, they traded corporate boardrooms for a sawdust-filled woodshop. What started as a vision for comfortable, foldable sleep solutions has grown into a decade-long legacy of helping families from Franklin to Hendersonville maximize their square footage.
By 2019, our reputation for "Made in Tennessee" quality meant we needed a bigger team. We welcomed Allan Hicks, a trusted friend who left the corporate ladder to return to his roots in carpentry. Today, we aren't just a furniture company; we are a local institution committed to mentoring the next generation of Nashville tradesmen in the art of business management and traditional woodworking.
The Crew
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The Original Crew
Founder
Billy Simon
Raised on an Oklahoma farm where resourcefulness was a way of life, Billy learned the "measure twice, cut once" philosophy from a family of master carpenters. In the 1980s, the siren song of the Music City brought him to Nashville. That same creativity that fueled his career as a songwriter is baked into every custom Murphy bed we build. While Billy has recently stepped back to focus on his music and speaking engagements, his standards for beauty, efficiency, and "Gold Record" quality remain the blueprint for every project we touch.
Owner
Allan Hicks
A native of Atlanta who spent his youth in the workshop with his father, Allan brings a unique blend of high-level corporate leadership and old-school grit to our operations. After years in executive environments, Allan realized his true passion was building tangible solutions for local families. When he isn’t ensuring your installation in Brentwood or Mount Juliet is flawless, you’ll find him exploring the Germantown or 12 South food scenes with his wife. He understands that a Nashville home should be as functional as it is beautiful.