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

The San Jacinto Council of Girl Scouts Visit Gallery Furniture

Mattress Mack, center (with a delicious Lemonade cookie in his mouth) accepts a donation of cookies for the Gallery Furniture Customers and Staff today!

The World's Greatest Furniture Store, Gallery Furniture, was blessed with a warm and loving visit from the San Jacinto Council of Girl Scouts when they visited Gallery Furniture and donated delicious cookies to the Gallery Furniture customers and staff.  The wonderfully delicious cookies were delivered with milk to Mattress Mack and the girls happily gave video testimonials to Mack and the Gallery Furniture team after the press conference concluded.

Mattress Mack speaks with members of the local San Jacinto Council of the Girl Scouts of America during their visit.

Mattress Mack and Gallery Furniture thank the ambitious and civic-minded young women that belong to the Girl Scouts of America for all of their hard work in serving the community, being true to this great nation, and putting others ahead of self.  The San Jacinto Council's warm act of donating cookies to the Gallery Furniture customers and staff is a testament to their spirit of giving and thinking of others! 

Logan - A Boy With A Giving Heart

 Logan's story is one that the Gallery Furniture family is happy to tell to Houston, because it is a story about the power of giving.  Logan, who attends St. Thomas Moore Catholic school, is a boy who is a true personification of what it means to be selfless, kind, and to put others ahead of yourself.

Logan came into Gallery Furniture concerned about the Gallery Furniture family and how we were affected by the massive fire last Thursday.  Logan showed his concern by wanting to donate the money he had saved up for an iPod Touch to benefit the employees of Gallery Furniture.  

This gesture warmed the hearts of all the employees at Gallery Furniture, though we wanted to show Logan that his spirit of giving gave us inspiration.  We donated Logan's money to the Peace of Mind Foundation, an organization committed to helping those living with the effects of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other such mental illnesses.  Then, in a final show of support of Logan, the Gallery Furniture family bought Logan a 32GB iPod Touch.  And, just to make sure that he has plenty of tunes to rock out to, Gallery Furniture also gave Logan $100 in iTunes gift certificates for him to use on the iTunes and, obviously, the Apple AppStore.  

What made Logan's story so unique is that he is a true believer in giving unto others and the spirit of helping his fellow man, a spirit that he shows in all his actions.  When speaking with Logan's family, we learned that young Logan once held a garage sale of his toys to raise money for a friend in his class diagnosed with spina bifida, amongst a host of other charitable and giving campaigns that young Logan would come up with.  His story, the story of compassion, caring, and charity, rang true to the core values of Gallery Furniture, and so our show of gratitude to Logan was to make sure he got his Apple iPod Touch.  To ensure that his story was told, we held a press conference for him at Gallery Furniture Post Oak at 2411 Post Oak Boulevard, with the help of KPRC Channel 2's Ryan Karsgard.

Young men like Logan show what a true humanitarian is - his actions speak volumes, and Gallery Furniture feels that this young man is most certainly destined for great things.

Job Fair at Gallery Furniture

Even though there's a recession out there, some companies are hiring.  That includes Gallery Furniture!

Gallery Furniture isn't ignoring the recession, but just isn't participating.  Business continues to be good and there's a need for new employees.

That's why several hundred people came to the North Freeway store Thursday for the first Job Fair of 2009 at Gallery Furniture.

Applications were being taken for Sales Associates, Warehouse staff, Internet Sales and Marketing staff, and sales trainers.

Job seekers were given details about the jobs available when they first arrived and then filled out applications.

Then it was time for the first set of interviews with the folks who will be supervising the new hires.

No hiring decisions were made today.  After the applications are reviewed, the second stage of the process will begin with a number of job seekers called back for a second interview.

After that, Gallery Furniture will have several dozen new employees and will be able to delight even more customers with great furniture, great prices, great service, and do it all TODAY!

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson at Gallery Furniture Post Oak

Gallery Furniture was honored to have Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas at the Gallery Furniture Post Oak location for a press conference on the issue of taxation - specifically, the over taxation by the federal government on the hard working men and women (as well as small to medium sized businesses) that is present in America today.  Add to that, her support to remove all marriage penalty taxes and also to show support for government that does not spend, tax & borrow, and her speech was a rousing success today.  Senator Hutchinson is the first and only woman Senator ever elected by the citizens of Texas, and her passion of service for the great state of Texas is matched by her knowledge of the issues and her service in Washington on some of the Senate's most prominent committees.

Gallery Furniture was also proud to have folks like the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce, The Galleria Area Chamber of Commerce, The Asian Chamber of Commerce, the South Asian Chamber of Commerce, distinguished representatives from the local area and media today to hear Senator Hutchinson speak on issues such as the fact that many in Washington make it hard for people wanting to live the American Dream (especially the young people).

Senator Hutchinson made note that today is a special day in this great country, one that she noted that Republicans dread - that old day of April 15th (tax day).  Sen. Hutchinson made it very clear, and Gallery Furniture agrees, that everything beyond what government must do (such as commerce, defense) should be left in the pocketbooks of those who earned it.  Not earmarked for special interests or used to borrow one's way out of a jam.  Turns out that Sen. Hutchinson opposed the current federal budget with its 1.4 trillion dollars in tax increase, and she felt that the government of the United States would borrow too much, spend too much, and tax entirely too much in an attempt to go against the wiser ideals of letting the private sector do its job and keep money in the hands of its earners. 

Senator Hutchinson made note that as a society we should go against taxation and that we need more tax cuts in a recession, which was what presidents such as Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush did in their terms in office.  To this end, Sen. Hutchinson is a big supporter of the Tea Parties being held around the country today in protestation of taxation, and that this grass roots movement is a great thing.  Gallery Furniture's own Matress Mack will be speaking at one such Tea Party in The Woodlands today.

Gallery Furniture also shares the view of Senator Hutchinson that one of the great advantages of the State of Texas is our lack of a personal income tax - something that gives our great state an advantage over the 42 states that do currently have a state personal income tax. 

Red Bull Visits Gallery Furniture

The holiday season is passing, but the spirit of giving is not. Today Gallery Furniture’s employees were visited by the Red Bull street team Francis

and Diane.  The two Red Bull representatives work to spread awareness and promote the uses of Red Bull.

They were excited to let Gallery Furniture employees try the drink.   Red Bull is for those individuals who have busy schedules or want to be wide awake and active.  Francis and Diane insist, though that the benefits of

drinking Red Bull are obvious once you drink it.  " I had one this morning because I had a late night yesterday," said one of the reps.

The street team also passed out booklets that included information on how Red Bull increases performance, concentration and improves reaction speed, endurance, and stimulates the metabolism. 

The Gallery Furniture’s delivery department was happy to receive the liquid energy boost. “Thanks girls, I drink ten    of these a week” said one employee to Francis. 

From life size gingerbread furniture to being visited by the Red Bull beattle, you never know what exciting thing will happen at Gallery Furniture!

Old Traditions Never Die

The honor that a man of service provides is priceless. He goes above and beyond for his loved ones and his country with only one question, “How can I serve?”  And the question one raises - what is all that he stands for when he stands for so much?  Service to our country comes from a long line of tradition, honor, loyalty, and duty - these honorable people spend countless hours away from home and holidays alone.  These men and women often leave peace and comfort behind whilst defending our great nation.  

Beyond this is the fact that the men and women of the armed forces hold on to old traditions such as writing a note to say thanks or as an expression of gratitude for contributions.  Men and women in the service are mindful of the many Americans that pray, give, and shed tears for their safety and well being and the fact that they take time to write thank-you notes says a lot about holding on to solid values.

Every time a cadet or member of the service looks at the medal, uniform, or marches in the name of the United States of America, pride and honor is recognized for their selfless acts. Although all may often think about home and family, the honorable men and woman remain loyal to one another and their country in the face of uncertain circumstances.  That is why Gallery Furniture is a proud contributor to the United States Organization (USO), a non-profit that serves those who serve the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And even in the face of danger, of all that a service member goes through, the fact that they take time to sit down and write a thank-you letter is a warm gesture that resonates with Gallery Furniture.  Living in times that change so swift and seeing many people that compromise integrity in the name for getting things done the easy way, Gallery Furniture is delighted to see that the young men and women of the armed forces are a reminder of what it means to represent honor, duty, loyalty, and tradition.

Brooke Maxey, Gallery Furniture Aggie Intern, above, works at putting together a framed collage of all the thank-you letters received by Gallery Furniture as a token of thanks for the contributions Gallery Furniture has made to the USO.

USO Thank You Letters

 

 

Gallery Furniture believes in giving back to those who give to you.  Thousands of military men and women put their lives on the line every day  for the country they love, the great United States of America.  Gallery Furniture has its own way of giving back to the military with what Gallery Furniture does best - furniture, accessories and decorating!  Mattress Mack recently donated furniture to the USO inside the Denver, CO airport, and will be donating furniture to the over 130 USOs around the world.

Several cadets from the United States Air Force Academy recently spent some time in the Denver USO waiting for flights home for the holiday season. The Cadets were overjoyed by the comfort and hospitality of the USO and were thankful for Mack’s generous donation of furniture and to the Denver USO.  Gallery Furniture received thank-you notes from these cadets and the entire staff here was glad to know that their efforts did not go unnoticed.

“ Your Gift is a testament to the amazing group of people that make up our country” – USAFA Cadet 3^rd Class Jace Caulhios said in his letter.

Items donated to thevarious  USO centers include chairs, TV’s, tables, couches, gaming centers, paint for the walls, and everything else needed to make these soldiers and their families comfortable during their time there.  Many of the USOs that Gallery Furniture are renovating were in some sore shape.  Some had old battered furniture donated from elementary schools years and years ago, some even having furniture from WWII era offices - and time took her toll on these gifts of love, and so Gallery Furniture stepped in to give these USO Centers a face lift.

The USO stations provide a place for soldiers to come and spend their time - so comfort is essential as they wait for their planes during layover or are waiting for a bus or train.  Gallery Furniture is doing everything it can to make a place worthy of the selfless soldiers that visit USO around the world.  Part of Gallery Furniture's commitment is to give a sense of comfort along with continuity - by keeping to certain styles and furniture types in each USO Center (paired with the local flavor of that USO Center), Gallery Furniture plans on making sure that there is a sense of familiarity from center to center so the troops always have a place that feels like home while away from home.  It's part of Gallery Furniture's commitment to giving back - both to the community and to the country.

“The Air Force Academy Cadet Wing and I thank you for your generosity and patriotism.” – USAFA Squadron Commander CS-23

While it is a blessing and an honor to receive these thank-you notes, it should really be all of us in the United States thanking the soldiers for all they do.  If you haven't dropped by the USO web site yet, take a visit at http://www.uso.org TODAY!  God Bless America and God Bless the Troops!

Gallery Furniture helps Another Deserving Family.

Tameka’s family received one of the Gallery Furniture Christmas giveaways.  Tameka along with her four children are very deserving of this gift, because she is a single mother, that has recently taken hour and pay cuts at her job.  Tameka and her four children have unfortunately been evicted from their last two apartments and recently had to witness all their furniture be seized.  The family was only left with two mattresses that laid on the floor.  But her faith is very important to her and through all the hardships she has endured over the past few years, her faith has never faltered.  With her job and four children she still finds time to lead the Charmed Bells Children’s Choir at her church.

  

All her neighbors, friends from church, and the Gallery Furniture crew showed up at her door, singing Christmas carols.  Tameka was completely overwhelmed.  Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to thank everyone involved.  Quickly she shuffled everyone into her apartment and before we knew it, everyone was helping getting the place ready for the new furniture, even the little kids. 

The kids couldn’t hold still.  They were so excited for their new bunk beds.  The oldest daughter, Destinie, told us that she was planning on having a slumber party for her 9th birthday party, but was too embarrassed because they had no furniture.  “I was afraid kids would make fun of me because of my house,” she told intern Janelle Colborne.  Well she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore because they have plenty of beautiful furniture in their home now.  

This family genuinely needed and deserved this furniture and it was a blessing to watch them receive it.  They were so grateful and it truly made our hearts smile to know that they would have a furnished home to celebrate the holidays in.

Wonderful Weekend Entertainment

You never know what you are going to find at Gallery Furniture. Today, for instance, was a completely normal Gallery Furniture Saturday: cookies were baking, kids were playing, families were eating, and youthful voices were singing all over the store!

Today, Gallery Furniture was treated to the talents of several local teenagers. The first of these wonderful youths was Vivian Moreno, 13, from Doerre Intermediate School. She took the grand stage and sang Christmas carols for our whole store. She opened with “Let it Snow” and closed with “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bell Rock”.

 The 8th grader has been singing since she was four and is now a member of the Doerre Advanced Girls Choir. She was very excited to be here today and Gallery Furniture was more than happy to give her some time to shine.

Today Gallery Furniture also had a group of High School students from Conroe High School, in Houston Texas. Conroe High School has one of the best theater programs in the nation! It was selected to go to the American High School Theater Festival in Scotland and in order to make that trip, they sought sponsorship from Gallery Furniture. As part of their sponsorship, the kids are spending some time at the store, walking around in costumes and interacting with customers. The kids love doing it because they said, “it’s a lot of fun!.”

So when you get ready to make that exciting new furniture purchase, come be a part of the fun at Gallery Furniture!

Local Carolers Bring Holiday Tunes to Gallery Furniture

Gallery Furniture recruited the best choirs throughout the Houston area to spread the Christmas spirit and holiday cheer this season. A group of over 60 students, the Chamber and Treble Choir from Magnolia Junior High School, were the first to sing on the grand stage yesterday.

“I got a call from the Magnolia Historical Society about the choirs performing, we were happy to come,” said choir director Lesa Smith. Assistant director Chris Price aided in helping the choir set up.

The choir opened with traditional Christmas songs “Joy to the World,” and “We wish you a Merry Christmas,” and closed with “Jingle Bell Rock”!

After performing several Christmas medleys the students got to enjoy delicious food at the Gallery Furniture Deli. “It was fun [to sing here]” said student Jasmin Yanez, “I like the store, and the food is good”

Choirs will be singing Christmas carols throughout the holidays to bring you cheer. Come to Gallery Furniture today and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere with cookies, hot chocolate, and carolers. Or, if your choir would like to sing this season, you can book your choir at galleryfurntiure.com/choir TODAY!