It's Always Partly Sunny in Roswell

Visit Roswell: Give us the background on Sunshine on a Ranney Day? What was the inspiration and how did that vision evolve into a brick & mortar location that helps a growing number of children (and families) each year?

Partly Sunny: Peter & Holly Ranney were inspired in 2012 by a church sermon to use their networks and resources to help others. Holly was in the furniture industry as a buyer for a large retailer and Peter grew up in a family construction business. Together they knew they could use their talents and connections to design and execute room makeovers for children with special needs. Holly left her very successful corporate job in 2014 to take the charity on full-time, but she still always loved the furniture side of the business. In 2020 against all odds and years of discussing, Sunshine on a Ranney Day opened Sunny & Ranney, a home furnishings and decor store where all profits from sales go back to the charity.

Visit Roswell: How do you go about choosing the families for Sunshine on a Ranney Day?

Partly Sunny: We have a review board that is outside of our day-to-day work activities, mixed with all professions and backgrounds. They meet twice a year to determine the next round of candidates. Each family has to fill out an application and submit a 2-minute video showing the spaces, as well as give a testimony about how much the makeover would impact their lives.

Visit Roswell: Sunshine on a Ranney Day clearly influenced your decision to open up your first retail venture, Sunny & Ranney. What is Sunny & Ranney, and how does it benefit SOARD?

Partly Sunny: Sunny & Ranney is a home furnishings & decor store where all profits from sales help fund Sunshine on a Ranney Day. We have high-end furniture donated by large retailers, designer warehouses and other businesses that is brand new, excess stock, or overstock. We also buy wholesale. The store has been amazing at helping generate consistent funding to eliminate the huge stress on constantly fundraising. We also have networking programs and other events supporting the community.

Visit Roswell: Sunny & Ranney has been open for 3+ years now. How has business and support from customers been? Has anything changed since you first opened?

Partly Sunny: Sunny & Ranney exceeded our expectations the first year in sales! But it's not just about sales; we have met some amazing new customers who have gotten their companies to sponsor makeovers and their employees to volunteer. One great example is when the head of the Atlanta Braves Foundation shopped in our store and wanted to make a larger partnership by working with us to help furnish some of their community projects, including the Truist Community Center at Truist Park!

Visit Roswell: Each week, fresh shipments of furniture and home décor items roll in. From where and whom do you receive your inventory?

Partly Sunny: We now have a huge warehouse where we can receive larger shipments. They come from all over, including large name brand retailers.

Visit Roswell: Let’s talk about Partly Sunny, also located on Oak Street and just steps away from Sunny & Ranney. What’s different about Partly Sunny?

Partly Sunny: We have been waiting to get the front of our building! Sunny & Ranney is tucked in the back and we have never been able to have street signage. Now with Partly Sunny taking the front space, we will have a lot of signage. We're calling it "Sunshine Plaza." Partly Sunny includes all kinds of categories, including holiday decor, gifts, lighting, scratch and dent furniture, kitchenware, kids/babies merch and so much more. This store is only open on Fridays and Saturdays to keep inventory fresh. You're going to want to come Friday mornings to see what we have, because we might not get it again!

Visit Roswell: How can people or organizations get involved with you all?

Partly Sunny: We have many ways to get involved. Volunteer in our store, warehouse, or at makeover houses. There are also opportunities to help with events.

Visit Roswell: What does the future hold? What’s next?

Partly Sunny: That's always a great question and probably humorous to those who know the founders. We are led by our faith and doors that open. Nothing has ever stopped us when it's doing something that helps others. Our whole goal is to be able to help more kids, so that's the path that we are on and all of the support with shopping in our stores is helping this! We have a great board that works with us on each endeavor, and we are so proud to have so many great volunteers, sponsors, and staff.

Partly Sunny is open Friday and Saturday from 10:00AM to 5:00PM. It is located at 109A Oak Street, Roswell, GA 30075. For more information on any of the above-mentioned organizations and businesses, please visit Sunshine on a Ranney Day, Sunny and Ranney or Partly Sunny Store.