Official Blog of Gallery Furniture's Mattress Mack of Houston, TX

going...going...Gone GREEN!

Designed in the Great State of Texas, Gallery Furniture brings to your home decor eco-friendly mango solid wood furnishings. Society is growing more environmentally aware, Gallery Furniture takes a proactive approach bringing you quality eco-friendly furniture. Manufactured from renewable and sustainable mango wood plantations, a “Life Cycle Assessment” is used to identify an environmentally conscious harvest time to ensure full use of the mango tree.

Mango trees are grown for their fruit, and when they are no longer producing mangos they are usually destroyed. Home Trend & Design recognized the potential and beauty of this wood, and started producing all solid wood home furnishings. They use the mango trees for the wood, and then replant a new tree creating a sustainable resource for future generations to enjoy.

Two of out store associates moving the hefty mango tabletop

Strong solid wood construction offers superior functionality and is sure to radiate warmth into your home. Quality mango solid wood furniture is durable allowing for years of enjoyment. Old fashioned building techniques are utilized in construction - all mango wood furniture is constructed using mortise, rabbit, tenon, and dovetail joint techniques. All the furniture is constructed and assembled by hand with the utmost care. This collection of furniture consists of truly strong and bold pieces that will become heirlooms in years to come. Water-based wood finish offers a safe and elegant alternative to petroleum-based stains.

            

Furniture is something you will want to last a lifetime, and this collection of mango wood products certainly will.

                                                                  

Gallery Furniture Goes to Mexico!

       

Executive Staff Member Ted Goldman on the phone planning the delivery.

Live 100 miles from Gallery Furniture? We’ll get your furniture home to you the Same Day! Live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico? Give us a week and a half, and you’ll be sleeping on your Tempur-Pedic Mattress and watching your LG plasma TV!

As many Houstonians know, Gallery Furniture offers Same Day Delivery. We’ve been delivering merchandise the same day it was purchased for nearly three decades. Michele S. from Houston, TX was furnishing her high rise condo on the waterfront of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She called and emailed Gallery Furniture, taking interest in our Kreiss Furniture, Hastens products, and a few of our thousands of rugs in stock. Michele did all her research online and developed a concept of how she wanted her home to look and feel.

First, she stopped at the Kreiss Showroom at 3912 Westheimer Road and spoke to Kreiss Expert Dallas. Michele was extremely excited to lean we could help her furnish her gorgeous new condo in Mexico. She then called Gallery Furniture and spoke to Internet Associate Ray Valdez, who helped handle her order and answered all of her questions and concerns. Ray helped to build her idea by pinpointing the items that would best enhance her living space. After the purchase was made, Executive Staff Member Ted Goldman began finalizing the order and organizing the delivery effort.

Ted contacted Intercon Freight, who specializes in international shipping, and arranged for a truck to pick up Michele’s order. At Gallery Furniture, we want you to have your furniture when you want it, and in the proper condition -Ted was on hand at the time of loading to inspect and quality assure each piece of furniture before it was hauled off to Mexico. To aide Michele in her big move, Ted arranged to have some of Michele’s personal home furnishings delivered with her brand new furniture. Michele was very excited about Gallery Furniture’s quick processing and ability to ship all over the world. All of us at Gallery Furniture wish Michele many exciting and wonderful memories in her new home.

Top: Ted organizing the loading effort.                                     
Bottom: The Intercon truck getting ready for the haul to Mexico.

Both Ray and Ted carefully tracked Michele’s order to guarantee it was processed correctly and smoothly. Consumer-savvy Michele came to us with an idea, and we made it a reality. Going above and beyond is our only way of doing business. Come on over to Gallery Furniture TODAY and see for yourself!

                                                                                          Next stop Mexico!

Gallery Furniture Employees Participate in NAMI Walks 2008 Houston

Gallery Furniture employees showed up this beautiful morning in support of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - as Gallery Furniture's own Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale served as honorary chair for the Houston NAMI Walk 2008.

Early Birds Get the Racing Worm at NAMI Walk Houston 2008 - from left to right are new salesperson Emma, salesperson Carmen, marketing and internet guy Gil, salesperson and vocalist Darrel, and internet sales specialist Ray-Ray.

The weather was gorgeous and perfect for the walk - and Mattress Mack went on stage and presented NAMI with a donation of $5,000 in support of raising not only awareness of mental illness but, in Mack's words "we have to come together as a human family - because mental illness, when it affects one member of a family, often affects others, and we need to raise awareness and understanding of mental illness nationwide."

With that, Gallery Furniture's own Darrel Luckett sang two beautiful songs - the National Anthem of the greatest country on earth (the United States of America) and a soaring rendition of God Bless America where the crowd spontaneously erupted in song along with Luckett!

Click On the Video Above to See the On-Stage Performance of Gallery Furniture Vocalist Extraordinaire Darrel Luckett!

Mack cut the ribbon for the event and it was off Gallery Furniture went to start the event - and even though it was NAMI Walks the Gallery Furniture crew started off running on the trail - which ran down Houston's gorgeous Allen Parkway (starting at Sam Houston Park) to the Waugh Bridge and returned to downtown Houston on the inbound side of Allen Parkway.

Here's some photos from the rest of the event!

Gallery Furniture's Darrel Luckett and Mattress Mack go over the sequence of events for the stage - songs to sing and what not.  Also, Darrel Luckett takes time to express to Mack that today is Luckett's day - and that he will beat Mack to the finish line.

Even some of Houston's finest pets came out - a wire-haired JRT stands ready to do his part to walk for NAMI!  Walk, Ubu, Walk... Good Dog!

Houston's George Parnham reads a proclamation from Houston Mayor Bill White concerning NAMI Walks 2008 having May 3rd listed as an official NAMI Walks Day for the City of Houston.

Mattress Mack, honorary chair of NAMI Walks 2008, takes time to explain the importance of understanding the nature of mental illness, and how folks need to come together as a human family to assist in the awareness of mentall illness and to help families become a voice for those who have no voice. 

Salesperson Dennis showed up to join the crowd (far left in Gallery Furniture attire), everyone tensely waiting for the NAMI Walk 2008 to begin! 

The opening banner is held up for the photographers!  From left to right: Gallery Furniture's Darrel Luckett, NAMI Walk Manager Mary Robins, Houston area attorney George Parnham, and Mattress Mack!

Watch out!  Mattress Mack takes the lead - turning the NAMI Walk into a run.  No surprise - Gallery Furniture's beloved leader works out everyday.  It looks like Mack is running on the American General lawn!  Talk about adding a challenge!  That's our Mack!

Way to go Dennis!  Gallery Furniture Sales Professional Dennis runs his heart out at NAMI Walks 2008 Houston!

Way to go Ray-Ray!  Gallery Furniture Internet Sales Associate Ray-Ray has rounded the Waugh Bridge and is on his way back to gorgeous Downtown Houston as he completes NAMI Walks 2008!

Emma is the Gallery Furniture Power Walker as she makes her way to the Waugh Bridge on Allen Parkway during NAMI Walk Houston 2008!

Wow, folks!  It was a great day for Gallery Furniture as we helped to participate with NAMI Walks 2008 - and all of the dedicated employees of Gallery Furniture helped out with a great cause in Houston today.  The weather cooperated, and everyone was filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment today. 

Gallery Furniture - We Deliver Customer Service, too!

Sometimes, it is the little things that please a customer!  Read below...

Gallery Furniture's Service Department professionals received a kind word from David B. of Houston, a man who needed a very specific item for a recliner he had bought in 2002.  He contacted Mike Kelly of the Service Department after a long search for a recliner part...

Below is his tale as he told us via e-mail:

"About three weeks ago I was sitting in my recliner when a sharp popping sound came from the recliner. I could tell that something had happened but didn’t turn the recliner over at that time to try and see what it was.

A day or two later I found a small piece of metal on the floor that I figured was from the chair. I turned the chair over and saw a spring dangling from the frame. The eye in the end of the spring had broken accounting for the piece I found. I removed the spring and decided to see if I could find a suitable replacement in my immediate vicinity.

After several trips to local hardware stores it became clear that none of the standard expansion springs would work; I even tried a web search and came up with nothing.

I knew then that my only chance for finding a replacement spring would be Gallery Furniture. I had my paperwork from the time the chair was purchased in December of 2002, called the number and asked for help in finding a replacement spring. The operator connected me with Customer Service and Mike Kelly answered the phone. From the very first word Mike seemed interested in helping me with the spring replacement, it was very reassuring. When I described the spring he seemed confident that Customer Service would have the needed part, and suggested I come over and it could be checked out. I asked him if I could e-mail him a picture and confirm the replacement part was available before I drove the considerable distance to Gallery Furniture and Mike gave me his email information.

The following morning I called Mike back and within a short time he confirmed that the part was in stock. I told Mike I would come over right away. When I got there Mike was very busy answering the phone and dealing with people; he asked me if I could wait a few minutes which I was happy to do. After a short time he referred me to James who took me back to the service department and gave me the needed replacement spring.

I was overjoyed to get the spring; after all of my looking at hardware stores and on the internet I had begun to wonder if I could ever find the right one.

The spring is now installed and the chair is working perfectly; I’m truly grateful that my spring search had such a positive ending and I actually enjoyed meeting Mike, he’s a special person and an asset to Gallery Furniture.

Sincerely,

David B."

Wow!  That's a great tale from David B. of Houston, who had provided Gallery Furniture with a lot of information for the team to work from - according to Mike Kelly of Service: "David sent over a detailed PDF of the broken spring, showing dimensions, wire width, length at rest of the spring, everything - I knew, though, just when I saw the picture that we did have one."

Gallery Furniture is here for Houstonians both before and after the sale.  It's not hard to practice great service, most furniture stores in Houston won't bother once they sell you something.  That's what sets Gallery Furniture apart from the other guys in town - that desire to go the extra mile.  Gallery Furniture - delivering great furniture and great service... TODAY.

Hästens on Discovery Show Modern Marvels makes one customer a believer...

Above, the Hästens Superia

A customer relays their tale from watching a Modern Marvels show.

"I was wacthing the Discovery Channel show "Modern Marvels" and it featured a great segment on green products and featured a Hästens mattress.  The Modern Marvels show talked at great lengths of the benefits of sleeping on a green mattress versus the old-school polyurethane / inner-spring mattress.  The Hästens segment on Modern Marvels really intrigued me, so I Googled the phrase "natural beds" and Hästens popped up first.

I admit that I am a research fanatic - so I spent about 3-4 hours studying Hästens (as well as other all-natural beds) online and I quickly found that hands-down the Hästens was the best in class for craftsmanship, quality, and the most all-natural bed made in the world.

Amazingly, I then learned that Gallery Furniture has the largest in-stock line of Hästens beds in the United States, so I bought a Hästens at Gallery Furniture and four hours later I was sleeping better and feeling better than I had in a long, long time."

If you want to learn more about the Hästens all-natural mattress - we encourage you to Google Hästens on the web and learn more about the finest all-natural bed on earth.  Gallery Furniture, your Houston leader in sleep systems of all kinds, can have your Hästens bed in your home TODAY - so stop in and test rest a Hästens today and begin sleeping green and great tonight!

Hästens Beds Featured in May 2008 Issue of GQ

The news keeps rolling in on Hästens beds - the Hästens, with the largest in-stock and immediate delivery set available at Gallery Furniture, is featured in the GQ May 2008 issue.  With a rave review and title of "The Bed of Kings," the Hästens is discussed in terms of its luxury.

Gallery Furniture invites you to drop by and experience what the editing staff at GQ Magazine experienced in the Hästens bed - and enjoy the comfort of a Hästens bed.  Gallery Furniture has the largest in-stock selection of Hästens beds in the United States, meaning we can have your bed delivered to your Houston area home the same day you buy it.  No other Hästens store in the United States can have your Hästens that quickly.

Another Gallery Furniture Customer Discovers the Joy of Shopping from the Convenience of Home

Gallery Furniture's Cutsomer Service Department made a late-night sale...

Kathy P. of Houston bought this set off of GalleryFurniture.com and over the phone...

Kathy P. of Houston, TX called Gallery Furniture at 9:55 last night... and Laura from the Customer Service Department picked up the phone.

Kathy P. said that "I asked Laura what time Gallery Furniture closed, and she said '10:00 p.m.' so I replied that I can call back in the morning... Laura then tells me 'Ma'am, I can help you, what do you need?"

Turns out it was a great night for Kathy P. - she had used our easy to find Gallery Furniture Saves You Money Card application, and some great Home Office Furniture at GalleryFurniture.com and (without ever seeing the furniture) came in and bought it all over the phone.  As Kathy P. said:

"It was the most amazing experience - within 25 minutes I had credit approval, order completed, and set up for delivery on Saturday morning [April 19th] - they just left not that long ago, and we are completely satisfied, and the delivery guys were so nice and professional, it was wonderful!  I never had to leave my home, and I got all my furniture shopping done using GalleryFurniture.com and a phone call thanks to Laura!"

Laura, seen here on the phone, works tirelessly day in and day out from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. taking care of Galery Furniture customers just like Kathy P.!

Folks, we take care of all our customers at Gallery Furniture, and we encourage you to heavily use GalleryFurniture.com for your selection needs!

The Michigan Delivery is Complete - and Another Satisfied Gallery Furniture Customer Tells her Tale!

All the Way to Alpena, MI...

Gallery Furniture's Marketing and Internet Boys went and dug a little deeper on the story of the Michigan Furniture Delivery that the Gallery Furniture Delivery Team of Juan and Omar made happen.  Here is what they learned from one satisfied Gallery Furniture Customer:

Kimberly B. of Houston, TX was moving to Alpena, Michigan with her husband, a retired Houston Police Department officer.  Sadly, they had lost everything in a house fire and decided to take up a new home and a new life near Lake Huron.  Before she left Houston, she had decided that her new home that sits on a gorgeous 40 acre lot needed some furniture - and a Tempur-Pedic bed to boot! 

She got with Brandon Jackson, one of the Gallery Furniture Sleep Sales Professionals, and after much discussion, arranged to have a shipping company get her the material she needed.  So Kimberly waited patiently for her furniture in Alpena, Michigan.

Well, as things sometimes go, when you have to have something done right, you have do it yourself... after waiting for the shipping company and some dropped communication and no Tempur-Pedic, she called Gallery Furniture and spoke with Mattress Mack:

"Mack told me that we were gonna make it right, and if that means having to drive to Michigan to deliver it ourselves, we would.  And y'all did - it was a proud moment having a Gallery Furniture truck pull up out here at my home in Alpena, Michigan!"

Here's the map of the road Juan and Omar took to Alpena,MI.

Kimberly B. knew from the moment she got off the phone with Mack that "I was confident everything was going to be taken care of, and Juan and Omar were here in a little over 24 hours."  Twenty-six hours and twenty-two minutes, actually, was how long Juan and Omar took to get Kimberly not just her Tempur-Pedic, but also her new living room furniture from Gallery Furniture.

What's the funniest part of the whole story?  Turns out that Kimberly and family are moving back to Houston in the summer - and she says "now we'll have to buy a bigger home to fit all of our furniture from Gallery Furniture inside!"  With regards to how Kimberly felt about the move back to Houston she stated: "Well, I am more a big city girl and my husband is more of a country boy - and our kids really love being in able to swim in one of the Great Lakes, so it will be a matter of readjusting, that's for sure!" 

We are excited to be a part of your life, Kimberly, and Juan and Omar had a great time getting ready and making the delivery all the way to Alpena, Michigan.  They got in late last night and Gallery Furniture is ready to add their pics to the blog!

Folks, whether your home is in Kuwait, Hawaii, Northern Ireland, or Alpena, Michigan - Gallery Furniture ships to clients world wide.  And we'll get it there quickly - and safely - and install it with love and care into your beautiful home.  Kimberly, we're looking forward to you and your husband's safe return back to Texas!

Lining Up to be on the CBS Show Big Brother

The Gallery Furniture / CBS Big Brother Casting Line started promptly at 4:00 p.m., with 50 people starting off and easily topping 400 at the time of this post.

The Big Brother casting call at Gallery Furniture officially started thirty-five minutes ago, but the scene was already getting full earlier in the afternoon as a crowd gathered at Gallery Furniture of Houston, TX in anticipation of being stars on the hit reality show Big Brother, airing on CBS (local Houston Channel 11 - KHOU-TV).

Potential reality stars lined the parking lot of Gallery Furniture early, with a line of over 350 by the time this blog post went up.  The shot below shows the early gatherers.  The reality show, Big Brother, airs in over 60 countries, each country having their own unique spin on the show, though the premise is generally the same:  A series lasting around three months includes a number of individuals forced to live together full-time in the "Big Brother" House, isolated from the outside world.

Under the continuous gaze of television cameras, the roommates try to win a cash prize by avoiding eviction from their housemates from the house.  A large cash prize awaits the winner of the show (as is usually the case in most foreign-based Big Brother shows, as well). 

Gallery Furniture was happy to play host to the casting call for the next Big Brother, and we wish all the contestants the best of luck!

Clockwise from top: KHOU-TV Channel 11 Van is out for a Live Remote for the Big Brother casting call at Gallery Furniture... potential housemates / potential rivals chatting it up before going in as part of the early crowd... The Gallery Furniture Teddy Bear points the way to the Big Brother Casting Call.

Gallery Furniture Delivers Close to Canada, Eh?

Gallery Furniture Sales Professional Brandon Jackson took a phone call that ended up having the Gallery Furniture Delivery Team of Juan and Omar head to Alpena, Michigan - which is pretty close to Canada, yah!  Gallery Furniture is proud to ship to customers all over the United States and the world - from Kuwait to Hawaii, from Galveston, TX to the tip of Michigan.

Juan, left, and Omar, right, ready to load up for Alpena, Michigan with a Gallery Furniture delivery.

Kimberly B. had spoken with Brandon Jackson.  Turns out that she was so enamored with Gallery Furniture from her previous purchases that when it came time to place some furniture for her new home in Alpena, Michigan she decided to go with us and have it delivered.  So the Gallery Furniture Delivery Team is heading straight up in a north-south cannonball run that will take our Gallery Furniture Delivery Team all the way up to within a stone's throw of Canada.

While we won't have time to enjoy some Canadian Football or hockey, Gallery Furniture will make time to insure not only proper delivery, but to deliver it with the same care and love as we do all of our local clients as well.  Juan and Omar took care during the loading process...

From the top... Juan and Omar carefully ready to transport a Gallery Furniture tempur-pedic to Alpena, Michigan...   Here comes the Gallery Furniture contemporary couch by Nicoletti...  before placing the couch and the rest of the furniture, Juan fully secures the mattress and box springs... Juan and Omar cover the couch before the rest of the furniture is hauled in... the finale, after a long load and more Gallery Furniture living room selection, Juan closes the door and locks it shut.

Juan and Omar, part of a select team of Gallery Furniture Delivery Team professionals, embarked on their 24 hour, 22 minute trip to Alpena, Michigan from Gallery Furniture by way of 59 North (the East Tex Freeway here in Houston).  Gallery Furniture is proud to deliver your furniture anywhere you need it - to your Houston home or your vacation home anywhere in the world?  Moving out of town?  Let us furnish your new home so you don't have to worry about who to buy furniture from in a new environment.

Buy it today, and have it delivered... ANYWHERE.

They Make More than Ice Cream near Brenham, Texas... Introducing Hand-Made Cedar Furniture Direct to Gallery Furniture

Texas is known for a lot of things -- cowboys, hills and lakes, Texas A&M, beaches, the University of Texas, the oil industry, and college football.  Something many folks don't know is that Texas also has fine hand-made furniture, like the beautiful cedar pieces from the workshop of Dale Dickinson and his sales representative Jerry Ordner in Brenham, Texas.

From a fine little shop known as Texas Cedar Works, these two folks have teamed up to bring their skills and talents to Gallery Furniture, and Gallery Furniture is certainly proud to feature their work.  Gallery Furniture knows that are times when there isn't enough hand-made furniture in the store, yet it's always in demand. 

Clockwise from top left: It all starts with Texas Cedar... A table being made for Gallery Furniture, hand made in the Texas Size... owner and craftsman Dale from Texas Cedar Works stops to pose... Another finished Texas Cedar Works Table for Gallery Furniture.  Click on any image above for full size.

Dale uses the natural grain and the texture of the cedar istelf to enhance their furniture.  No piece is identical to another.  Here's an example:  What do you see in this table's top?

Above: A pair of cat's eyes?  A butterfly? The split log mirror technique lets mother nature design the pattern - and lets your imagination roam as free as the Texas plains.

Whether you see a face, a butterfly, or something else, the patterns in the wood make each table unique.

The cedar comes from the Texas Hill Country.  After it is cured, the wood is cut into planks and posts.  Sometimes when a log is split, the grain and knots in the wood are cut in half, giving two pieces that are mirror images of each other.  When you put those mirror images together, you get a pattern like the one of the picture above.

Left: A Coffee Table the Size of Texas... Right: Texas-sized Sofa Table!

There are no screws or nails in the furniture Dale and Jerry make (and sell) at Texas Cedar Works.  The only ingredients are wood, oil, glue, and Texas-style craftsmanship.  For example, Dale hand sands the tops with 600-grit sand paper - you read that right folks, Dale Dickinson painstakingly hand-sands these gorgeous pieces.  Only a Texan would do that.

Gallery Furniture reminds customers that any cedar furniture should not be exposed to direct sunlight for any length of time, or you will discolor the finish and wood over time.    

Below - watch the videos with furniture representative Jerry Ordner of Texas Cedar Works...

Gallery Furniture Market Report: Welcome Signature Home Furnishings

Part Three

Recently Gallery Furniture sent over the Gallery Furniture High Point Furniture Market Team over to High Point, North Carolina, to find new sources of furniture and pass the savings along to our Gallery Furniture customers.  Here's a report from the field from Ted and Gil over in North Carolina:

"Mack, greetings from beautiful North Carolina.  We just signed a deal with Signatgure Home Furnishings of Cerrito, California and they will be sending the paperwork over tonight for some of their beautiful line of traditional style home furniture - Gallery Furniture customers will not only love the prices, but they will love the style of this gorgeous furniture ready for their Houston bedroom, living room, theater room, and home office." -Ted and Gil

Signature Home Furniture comes to Gallery Furniture

That was quick, looks like my Gallery Furniture High Point Furniture Market Team already struck a deal and got things finished quickly.  We truly believe in TODAY here at Gallery Furniture, and it shows in everything we do - whether it is getting you to bed on your lovely Tempur-Pedic the same night or getting that new youth bedroom collection in your home the day you bought it, Gallery Furniture works hard to save you money. 

Keep up the good work, Ted!

Live From High Point, NC - The Gallery Furniture Market Report... Meet Icovia

Part Two

Recently, I sent out the Gallery Furniture High Point Furniture Market Team to High Point, NC for a variety of reasons - most of all to find out how Gallery Furniture can not only save you money, but also for how to come up with new and innovative uses of our great website, www.GalleryFurniture.com - so that all visitors can truly make their Houston house a home.

Here's an entry from one of the Marketing and Internet Division boys, Gil, live from the 12th Floor of the International Home Furnishings Center in beautiful High Point, North Carolina...

"Thanks Mack, wow - I wanted to stress a new feature coming soon to GalleryFurniture.com on the horizon - a space planner by the hyper intelligent and super creative team at Icovia (now called Icovia 20/20).  Turns out as I was attending a seminar on 3-Dimensional Visualization technology for furniture web sites, I ran into our awesome development team at Icovia Software that Hamilton and I have been coordinating with.

Icovia is working hard to make sure that they do things the Gallery Furniture way - and they have gone the extra mile in their new software and added a special bonus for us so that Houstonians can not only plan their furniture space online, they can also drop a rug from Fred the Rug Man onto the floor plan.  It also turns out we will be one of the first to roll out the newest version of the Icovia Room Planner software - folks visiting www.GalleryFurniture.com will be able to easily make their room happen and add tile and floor color to the room plan as well as pull item information sheets. 

They did a projector show for me of the new software they have demo-ing for us - and Mack, I gotta tell you, I am highly impressed.  It's better than anything else on the market currently, and we'll have a site that will allow all visitors to truly enhance their home and plan ahead before they buy with measurements, home furniture orientation, and so on.  I am truly excited for the opportunities afforded our web site visitors once we launch the new Icovia Space Planner with the extra Gallery Furniture add-ons that Icovia is designing for the Gallery Furniture faithful."

Wow, now that is good news.  I am glad folks from the Gallery Furniture High Point Furniture Market Team will all see this lovely piece of software and note the benefits of this software for our customers.  Gallery Furniture has been in business for over 27 years here in Houston, and our history of saving you money, same day delivery of Tempur-Pedic and Hastens mattresses, and our commitment to excellence is second to none.  To this, Gallery Furniture adds the value of being a technological leader - it's how Gallery Furniture has been doing what it has been for the first 27 years, and what we will continue to do for the next 27 years.

It's Off to Market We Go!

It's been some time since Gallery Furniture of Houston - your leader in bringing you amazing deals on high-quality furniture for all parts of your beautiful Houston area home - did a blog on what was happening at the High Point Furniture Market.  I sent one of the Marketing & Internet boys from Gallery Furniture along for a whirlwind adventure, and here's Gil's first entry as he ends day one of his market adventure!

"Thanks, Mack!  Well, I am happy to report that the plane flight went with no turbulence and no incidents, we had a very nice flight over to Raleigh and then a cab up to High Point, North Carolina.  I flew up with Gallery Furniture Interior Designer John Brown and Gallery Furniture Inventory Specialist Martha Kolo.  We enjoyed long conversations about how we were going to look for new and innovative furniture that would save Houstonians money and look great in their Houston homes.  We were set to meet buyers Ted Goldman and Chris Etheridge as part of the advance team that went out to High Point.

Last night's food was a new treat - Steak and Shakes of North Carolina is a fun little 24 hour joint down the road from our hotel.  They have real steak burgers and milkshakes unlike any other - and after the heavily lay-overed flight, my evening dinner (while a cholestorol nightmare) was quite filling.

Pictured above, the Dinner of Champions.

I think a lot of folks, Mack, are unaware of the ballet of organized chaos that is the orchestral movements of the Furniture Market - the wide array of manufacturers peddling their wares, to the voluminous amounts of information available from the Educational Seminars make the entirety of the experience one to behold.  There are innovative programs - l like the HGTV Preferred Partner Program - to software companies like Icovia who make room planning software for folks like us, all here and ready to enjoy.  I immersed myself in a ton of seminars today, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

It ain't a lecture as long as you're learning!

Gallery Furniture's www.GalleryFurniture.com has come a long way, and it is clear we have a long way to go - and learning about some new and innovative ideas that are coming down the pipeline as well on industry trends means that we can grow by leaps and bounds.

I have some more stuff to cover, Mack, and I will be getting all of our wonderful Gallery Furniture customers some more updates as to what is going on at the High Point Furniture Market - Mack, we are working hard to save our local area residents money!"

Good to see the Gallery Furniture High Point Market Team getting the best they can out of the many days at Furniture Market.  Gallery Furniture is committed to not only saving you money and delivering today, but also to find the latest fashion trends for your home and also staying ahead of the industry curve.  That is why Gallery Furniture sends staff members to seek great deals, and also to educational and interior design seminars.  We'll see what else they report from High Point, North Carolina.

Make Gallery Furniture Your Destination

When sisters get together to go somewhere, you don't usually think of a furniture store as a must-see destination.  But for a group of sisters and sisters-in-law who get together in Houston from different places, Gallery Furniture has become a featured stop on their itinerary.

Here they are -- Darlene, Sharon, Joan, Barbara, Regina, and Kayla.

They came to the store to look at the memorabilia, to get decorating ideas, and of course to shop for furniture! 

I'm happy to report they had a great time shopping with the assistance of Gallery staff Craig, Marcus, and Anthony.  In fact everyone of them found something they just had to have!

As they were leaving, these sisters said on their next visit to Houston they would be back with a much larger vehicle to haul their prize purchases away.

I can't wait!

Just as the sisters found, Houston knows Gallery Furniture is a great place to shop, with great buys on great furniture for everybody.  Isn't it time you put Gallery Furniture on your itinerary?

The Dream Deal

Gallery Furniture wants Houston furniture customers to save time and save money on new home furnishings and electronics. The Dream Deal from Gallery Furniture is a great way for Houston furniture shoppers to achieve this goal – get a great value on upholstered furniture and electronics.

Today the Dream Deal at Gallery Furniture screams value and excitement for you the customer.

The Dream Deal features a sofa, love seat, cocktail table, two end tables, two lamps, an entertainment center, and an LG 42 inch plasma flat screen high definition TV.

Customers are astonished and delighted by this incredible offer, all for only $1999.99!

Here are a couple of customer comments about the Dream Deal.

“I told my husband we bought an entire living room suite and a 42 inch plasma TV for the price our neighbor paid for the TV only!”

“This is the perfect package for our family, you made it so easy to buy and save on beautiful furniture and top of the line electronics.”

The Dream Deal is available today at Gallery Furniture. And there’s more – Gallery Furniture has several Dream Deals to fit a variety of budgets.

You’ll get living room furniture, including lamps and tables, and a big plasma HDTV in all of them.

You owe it to yourself to come to Gallery Furniture TODAY to check out the Dream Deals!

One Price Buys it All! Get the Dream Deal TODAY.

Mattress Mack here - folks, we have a great deal going on while supplies last.  We have deals where one price buys it all... and in every case, Houstonians are gonna get a Plasma High Flat Screen Definition Television.  Below are the deals that Houstonians can enjoy for their Houston home... TODAY.

Buy a living room full of furniture for $1999.99 including a 42” plasma flat screen HDTV! That’s right, $1999.99 buys it all -- sofa, loveseat, coffee table, two end tables, two lamps, entertainment center, and 42 inch plasma flat screen HDTV!  Offer ends May 5, 2008.

For only $2999.99 buy it all AND THEN SOME - includes a sofa, loveseat, recliner, coffee table, two end tables, two lamps, entertainment center, and 42 inch Plasma High Definition flat screen TV! All this is available at Gallery Furniture TODAY - and remember that quantities are limited!

For only $3199.99 buy it all AND INCREASE YOUR TV VEIWING - includes a sectional, coffee table, two end tables, two lamps, TV Stand, and a 50 inch Plasma High Definition flat screen TV! All this is available at Gallery Furniture TODAY - AND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS: CHOOSE IN RED, WHITE, OR BLACK!- and remember that quantities are limited!

And we don't stop there at Gallery Furniture...

For just $3999.99 furnish the room fo your dreams with a 50" Plasma High Definition Television - includes a sofa, loveseat, chair, ottoman, coffee table, two end tables, two lamps, TV Stand, and a 50 inch Plasma High Definition flat screen TV! All this is available at Gallery Furniture TODAY - AND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS: CHOOSE FROM A GRANITE OR BLACK COLOR FOR THE SOFA, LOVESEAT, CHAIR, AND OTTOMAN!- and remember that quantities are limited!

Houston - great deals are getting better and we look forward to getting these deals into your home today.

Customer Stories: "A Special Day"

"We knew you'd make our bedroom furniture right."

That simple statement from a Gallery Furniture customer packs a lot of meaning into a few words.

Here's the story behind it.  A couple had gone somewhere else for bedroom furniture.  But they had lots of trouble with the furniture from that other Houston store and finally gave up on it and told the store to take it back. 

They came to Gallery Furniture Saturday evening, found the bedroom set they wanted, bought it and had in their home by 9:30 that night, even though it was the Saturday before Easter and they bought the furniture after seven o'clock.

And that's why the customer told me "We knew you'd make our bedroom furniture right."

It's a great feeling when you hear that.

I got a thrill out of the story I heard from another customer this weekend.  She said "For ten years I've dreamed of buying a house full of furniture at Gallery Furniture.  Today is my special day."

The customers in this posting had their "special day" this weekend, one when she got the furniture she'd waited for ten years to buy, and in the other case when they got the service they deserved, and had not gotten at another store.

That's the goal at Gallery Furniture -- make it a "special day" for every customer.  Everyone at Gallery Furniture is ready to make today special for you.

You Never Know What Is Important

You never know what is important to a customer.

Saturday a  husband and wife came to the store and purchased a new Tempur-Pedic king-sized sleep set.  They were excited about their new mattress and foundation.

On the way out, they stopped by the front desk to tell me how much they appreciated Gallery Furniture donating all the furniture and Tempur-Pedic mattresses to the Fischer House in Houston. 

The Fischer House is a place for military families to stay while a loved one is in the hospital.  The local Fischer House is next to the Michael DeBakey VA Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

I asked the couple how they know about the great work of the Fischer House.  She said that when they were first married her husband was in the military and he was diagnosed with cancer. 

She said "For the first year of our marriage, while he was receiving treatments at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I lived in the Fischer House next to Walter Reed.  The Fischer House saved my life."

Gallery Furniture is a proud contributor to our community, and efforts like the Fischer House, because touching hearts and helping people is what life is all about.

Customer Service: It's In Our DNA

Why do so many Texans buy their furniture and electronics at Gallery Furniture? Why is Gallery Furniture so good at customer service?  These questions were asked of me by a customer today who is trying to make his business totally customer-centric.

Here's the answer to the first question.  Texans by the thousands buy their furniture and electronics at Gallery Furniture for three reasons:

1. Great products
2. Great prices
3. Over the top customer service!

The answer to the second question is a bit more complex.  Gallery Furniture is good at customer service because it is in our DNA, it is who we are.  From Day One in April 1981, Gallery Furniture has delivered our customer's furniture the same day.  Twenty-seven years later we still do -- only bigger and better! 

Peter Drucker said "The purpose of any business is twofold.  First, keep your current customers happy and buying more.  Second, recruit new customers."

At Gallery Furniture we take Mr. Drucker literally so every policy, every rule, at Gallery Furniture is in favor of the customer.  That's why you can buy furniture at 10 PM and still expect same day delivery.  This promise to deliver today is not the most cost effective way to operate the business, but it is certainly the most customer friendly way to run the business.

Stanley Marcus said "If you take care of your merchandise it won't come back.  If you take care of your customers they will."

Gallery Furniture is good at customer service because we learned from Mr. Drucker and Mr. Marcus that the only business is the customer business and our business is to delight our customers twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

It is in our DNA.

Want proof?  Here's an example.

Yesterday a customer came into the store and said he had purchased furniture some time back and was ready for delivery.   It took a few minutes to find his sales ticket -- he bought the furniture in March of 2001!  During all that time he had not picked up his furniture.  Gallery Furniture tried to find him, making phone calls, sending letters, even registered letters, but nothing worked.

Now we know what happened.  The customer paid for his furniture when he bought it in 2001, and asked us to hold it until the floors were finished in his new home.  Before the house was ready, a little storm called Allison came through.  That was in June of 2001.  The customer's house wasn't in the flood plain and he had no flood insurance.  The house was flooded, with several feet of water in every room.  The customer and his wife had to move out for a while -- that's why they could not be found -- and they have been rebuilding their house ever since.  Yesterday, he was finally ready for it.

Some stores might have said "Sorry, you're out of luck.  We tried to contact you but you never came back to claim your furniture."

Not Gallery Furniture.  It took a few minutes to call up the original order and then we credited him with what he had spent and told him to pick out what he wanted.

Today, I got an email from the customer.  He thanked me for taking care of him and called me a "stand-up guy."

I say thank you for the kind words, but it is what Gallery Furniture does -- take care of the customer.

See Gallery Furniture at the Galleria

You've seen a billboard with a picture of a beautiful car. You've seen a newspaper ad with a bright picture of a beach scene or a magazine article with clear photographs of a beautiful house.  Haven't you wished you could sit in that car, walk on that beach, or touch the furniture in that home? 

Now you have a chance to walk through a thousand square foot billboard, to touch some of the world's best furniture, to experience the new Gallery Furniture.  All you have to do is visit us at the Galleria.

That's right.  Gallery Furniture has set up on the main level of the Galleria, outside of Neiman Marcus.  If you're looking for landmarks, the Gallery Furniture display is between Chanel and Tiffany and between Cartier and Fendi.

You'll see the California-inspired designs of Michael Kreiss, the hand made beauty of a environmentally friendly Hastens mattress, and much more when you walk through this showroom in miniature at the Galleria.

I think you'll like what you see.  Now there are three places to experience the luxury of the new  Gallery Furniture -- at 6006 I-45 North, 3912 Westheimer, and now in the  Galleria!