Jordan's Furniture
Encyclopedia
Jordan's Furniture is a furniture retailer in eastern Massachusetts
and southern New Hampshire
, with locations in Reading
, Avon
, and Natick, Massachusetts
and Nashua, New Hampshire
.
. Samuel sold furniture out of the back of a truck until 1926. In the late 1930s, his son Edward joined the business. In 1973, Barry and Eliot Tatelman took over the business from their father, Edward. They stopped advertising on the back page of the Waltham paper and started on radio. In 1983, Barry and Eliot built the Nashua, New Hampshire
location.
In 1987, they opened the Avon, Massachusetts
location, creating the largest traffic jam ever recorded on Route 24. Barry and Eliot had to go on the radio to beg people not to come. Customers stood in line for hours waiting for their turn to go into the showroom.
On Mother's Day 1992, the Motion Odyssey Movie (MOM) opened in the Avon store, after five years of planning and a $2.5 million investment. Over 1 million people have experienced MOM, raising more than $300,000 for non-profit organizations.
On April 17, 1998, Barry and Eliot opened the biggest Jordan's Furniture to date with 120000 sq ft (11,148.4 m²). of showroom space and a Mardi Gras
/Bourbon Street
theme, the Natick, Massachusetts
location introduced Jordan's to the MetroWest area.
In October 1999, the Tatelman brothers sold the company to insurance conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway
. The sale was intended to increase the financial backing of Jordan's Furniture for future growth. To celebrate, each employee received a financial gift of 50 cents for every hour ever worked at Jordan's. Operationally, nothing changed. Barry and Eliot remained at the helm, still starring in all radio/tv commercials and as integral parts of the company.
On Thursday, August 22, 2002, the IMAX
3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture in Natick opened its doors to the public. This new venue offered a new level of "shoppertainment" in Jordan's Furniture history. The Waltham store closed in 2004, the day the new Reading, Massachusetts
store opened, which was the largest of Jordan's locations. It includes a complete showroom, warehouse
, and 3D IMAX movie theater. In addition, Jordan's opened a 750000 sq ft (69,677.3 m²) Warehouse/Office complex in Taunton, Massachusetts
. In 2005, the warehouse underneath the Avon store was converted into the Colossal Clearance Center, containing over 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) of clearance merchandise.
Barry Tatelman left Jordan's Furniture in December 2006, according to The Boston Globe
,
After Barry left for Hollywood, Eliot Tatelman remained the public face of the company. Recently, Tatelman has aligned himself as a sponsor of the Boston Red Sox
radio and television broadcasts. For the past four baseball seasons, Tatelman's has been enticing shoppers by offering free furniture if the Red Sox perform improbable feats, such as sweeping the World Series in four games, or if a Sox batter hits a ball that strikes a dinner plate-sized baseball next to the Jordan's logo in straightaway dead center field.
The origin of the company's name is uncertain; the brothers once speculated that their grandfather chose the name out of a hat.
. The store took out an insurance policy for approximately twenty million US dollars. Since the Red Sox did win the World Series, Jordan's Furniture gave an estimated 30,000 qualified orders away for free http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aD2tVHoQ1Kmc&refer=home.
' 2011-2012 NHL season. Tatelman hit the television airwaves and Internet rollover/banner/pop-up ad circuit again, this time attired in full Bruins regalia (including ponytail and hat), promising to refund Jordan's customers the purchase price of their furniture if the Bruins win the Stanley Cup
for a second consecutive season. The Big Check promotion is identical to the Monster deal, above, in which shoppers were offered the same deal if the Boston Red Sox
won the 2007 World Series
.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and southern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, with locations in Reading
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
, Avon
Avon, Massachusetts
At the 2000 census, there were 4,443 people, 1,705 households and 1,220 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,014.7 per square mile . There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.45% White, 3.74% African American, 0.27% Native...
, and Natick, Massachusetts
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
and Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
.
History
The company was started by Samuel Tatelman in 1918 in Waltham, MassachusettsWaltham, Massachusetts
Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, was an early center for the labor movement, and major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning,...
. Samuel sold furniture out of the back of a truck until 1926. In the late 1930s, his son Edward joined the business. In 1973, Barry and Eliot Tatelman took over the business from their father, Edward. They stopped advertising on the back page of the Waltham paper and started on radio. In 1983, Barry and Eliot built the Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
location.
In 1987, they opened the Avon, Massachusetts
Avon, Massachusetts
At the 2000 census, there were 4,443 people, 1,705 households and 1,220 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,014.7 per square mile . There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.45% White, 3.74% African American, 0.27% Native...
location, creating the largest traffic jam ever recorded on Route 24. Barry and Eliot had to go on the radio to beg people not to come. Customers stood in line for hours waiting for their turn to go into the showroom.
On Mother's Day 1992, the Motion Odyssey Movie (MOM) opened in the Avon store, after five years of planning and a $2.5 million investment. Over 1 million people have experienced MOM, raising more than $300,000 for non-profit organizations.
On April 17, 1998, Barry and Eliot opened the biggest Jordan's Furniture to date with 120000 sq ft (11,148.4 m²). of showroom space and a Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
/Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is a famous and historic street that spans the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter...
theme, the Natick, Massachusetts
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
location introduced Jordan's to the MetroWest area.
In October 1999, the Tatelman brothers sold the company to insurance conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
. The sale was intended to increase the financial backing of Jordan's Furniture for future growth. To celebrate, each employee received a financial gift of 50 cents for every hour ever worked at Jordan's. Operationally, nothing changed. Barry and Eliot remained at the helm, still starring in all radio/tv commercials and as integral parts of the company.
On Thursday, August 22, 2002, the IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture in Natick opened its doors to the public. This new venue offered a new level of "shoppertainment" in Jordan's Furniture history. The Waltham store closed in 2004, the day the new Reading, Massachusetts
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
store opened, which was the largest of Jordan's locations. It includes a complete showroom, warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
, and 3D IMAX movie theater. In addition, Jordan's opened a 750000 sq ft (69,677.3 m²) Warehouse/Office complex in Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
. In 2005, the warehouse underneath the Avon store was converted into the Colossal Clearance Center, containing over 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) of clearance merchandise.
Barry Tatelman left Jordan's Furniture in December 2006, according to The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
,
After Barry left for Hollywood, Eliot Tatelman remained the public face of the company. Recently, Tatelman has aligned himself as a sponsor of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
radio and television broadcasts. For the past four baseball seasons, Tatelman's has been enticing shoppers by offering free furniture if the Red Sox perform improbable feats, such as sweeping the World Series in four games, or if a Sox batter hits a ball that strikes a dinner plate-sized baseball next to the Jordan's logo in straightaway dead center field.
The origin of the company's name is uncertain; the brothers once speculated that their grandfather chose the name out of a hat.
Monster deal
As a promotion in 2007, Jordan's offered full rebates on certain pieces of furniture bought between March 7 and April 16 - provided the Boston Red Sox won the World SeriesWorld Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. The store took out an insurance policy for approximately twenty million US dollars. Since the Red Sox did win the World Series, Jordan's Furniture gave an estimated 30,000 qualified orders away for free http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aD2tVHoQ1Kmc&refer=home.
Monster sweep
As a promotion in 2008, Jordan's offered full rebates on certain pieces of furniture. Instead of just winning the World Series, the Red Sox would have to sweep the Series, winning four games in a row. There were no winners.Monster hit
In the spring of 2011, Tatelman was back again, this time with the "Monster Hit" promotion ("Hit or no hit... You Win!"). Clad in Red Sox garb, Tatelman was again a ubiquitous, white-ponytailed figure in relentless print, television, and Internet banner ads. If a Red Sox player hit a ball that struck a dinner plate-sized baseball next to the Jordan's logo in straightaway dead center field, the customer's Jordan's Furniture purchase price would be refunded. If no player struck the logo, all buyers would receive a 20% credit toward a future Jordan's purchase instead. The promotional purchase period ran throughout the spring, but the actual hitting of the sign "timer" did not begin until July 22, 2011, and continued until the end of the season. The Red Sox season concluded on September 28, 2011. For the second consecutive year, there were no winners.The Big Check
On September 30, 2011, two days after the Monster Hit promotion ended, Tatelman resurfaced, with The Big Check promotion in conjunction with the Boston BruinsBoston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
' 2011-2012 NHL season. Tatelman hit the television airwaves and Internet rollover/banner/pop-up ad circuit again, this time attired in full Bruins regalia (including ponytail and hat), promising to refund Jordan's customers the purchase price of their furniture if the Bruins win the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
for a second consecutive season. The Big Check promotion is identical to the Monster deal, above, in which shoppers were offered the same deal if the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
won the 2007 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
.