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

Gallery Furniture Customers Make the Rounds at High Point

[Reporting by: Gil]

The team of Gallery Furniture took some time today to visit vendors that are familiar to the world's greatest customers of Gallery Furniture.  The enthusiasm level was high with the customers selected to become Team Buyers with Gallery Furniture, as the assembled group descended upon manufacturers such as Crown Mark and Coaster.  First off was a visit with Sue of Crown Mark, who wanted to say "Hi" to Mattress Mack and she was very excited to meet the team of great Gallery Furniture customers selected as buyers during the High Point Market Trip.

 
The Gallery Furniture High Point Market Team with Sue of Crown Mark
 

Since this is a first in furniture retail history, it was important to send these rookie buyers right on in - which is the Gallery Furniture way, of course - and start with an understanding of the way Gallery Furniture does business: with a customer centric focus, an eye on quality and value, and a commitment from everyone (vendors and staffers alike) to that one small word whose five letters are the heart, soul, and backbone of everything Gallery Furniture does... TODAY.

TODAY is more than a word to Gallery Furniture.  It's a way of life, it's a reason to strive for excellence, it's a part of a culture fostered to create unparalleled customer service at the world's greatest furniture store.  And now it was high time that these great Gallery Furniture customers (part of the buying team at High Point) learned the ropes. 

Helping them along, in his unassuming manner and nearly Plato-esque method of teaching, was Bruce Axner of Coaster Corporation (make sure to check out the Manufacturer Page of GalleryFurniture.com to learn all the beautiful products carried by Coaster at Gallery Furniture and ready for immediate delivery to your Houston home).  Bruce discussed the ins and outs of the manufacturer side in the Gallery Furniture way: to the point, directly, succinctly, and in a way that promoted knowledge and generated excitement about the furniture industry. 

 
Bruce Axner (yellow shirt on right) Gives a Crash Course on Coaster

So, up, up and away went the Gallery Furniture customers to the top floor of Coaster on Commerce street in downtown High Point to work their way down the massive expanses of living room, dining room, accessories, bedroom furniture, and home office furniture.  They poked, they prodded, they asked questions of the Coaster staff and most importantly, they began their glorious journey into the world of furniture.  A journey so infused with enthusiasm by each team member that reminded Chris, Martha and myself of the joy of a child's face as they walk into a toy store and are told "okay, go get whatever you want."

Indeed, they sparked a fire in each of us - and renewed for these Gallery Furniture staffers a passion that one can often let subside in the business-relations or product-selection side.  This excitement drew smiles from each of us, and with that came an invigorating sense of purpose and love for an industry that we were oh so happy to embrace with them - and the best part is that it was born of the fountain of customer centricity.

Gallery Furniture Causes a Stir!

 
A recent article in Furniture Today (the furniture industry's trade publication) caused quite a stir for some folks in High Point, North Carolina.  High Point is the site of the world's largest furniture market - this year being held from October 16 through the 21st in hundreds, if not thousands, of showrooms in the city of High Point.  Turns out this particular showcase is closed to the public, so much so that you'll often see signs posted that say things like "Open to the Trade Only" everywhere you go in High Point.

The Furniture Today web site had posted an article that let everyone know that Gallery Furniture was bringing a huge team to the High Point October Market in 2009 - a team that was built on five to six Gallery Furniture staff members, and then NINE GREAT GALLERY FURNITURE CUSTOMERS!  Imagine sending your best customers to market so that, as buyers, they and similar customers can relate to - it all seemed simple to me - let the customers pick what they want!  I only wished Gallery Furniture had thought about this customer-centric idea earlier.

Much to my surprise, I received a call from people in High Point saying that execs were upset - yes, upset - that Gallery Furniture was bringing our great customers to the market.   I told them - you guys need to get it: the furniture business is stagnant right now because of the housing situation and this is a great way to get customers jazzed up, fired up, get crunk on, get wild, hyped up, and excited about our great products!  My vision is for customers to have a giant hand in choosing the products that Gallery Furniture sells - after all, the ones that are buying the furniture.  The executives then said "We never looked at the issue that way!"

At Gallery Furniture, we look at every issue from the customer's perspective - and boy, oh boy - are we excited about the team of nine extra pairs of eyes going to the High Point Market to discover great new products for all Gallery Furniture customers.   With Gallery Furniture being all about the customers, then our great customers going to market with us is a thrilling prospect for us all.

Sorry if we caused a stir among the High Point executives, but yes, we are trying to stir something up - we're trying to stir up new business and who could be better to excite the furniture business better than the great Gallery Furniture customers?  Stay tuned for the daily blogs from the field by the Gallery Furniture customers advancing on High Point Market!  Gallery Furniture knows that this will be fun and exciting!

GALLERY FURNITURE TEMPUR-PEDICS TAKE YOUR STRESS AWAY!

Long time Gallery Furniture shopper Steve S. of Tomball dropped by Gallery Furniture for an American-made Franklin recliner today and wanted to stop and let all of Houston know about the great sleep he and his wife continue to enjoy on their Gallery Furniture Tempur-Pedic.

"My wife and I came in, I would say about two years ago, I was not getting the sleep I need on my inner spring mattress, and I spoke with Mack and he suggested I try a Tempur-Pedic," Steve said, adding that "you know, I tested it, liked it, and Service Manager Laura actually handled the sale, and it was amazing difference once we got it home that night."

Just how amazing is their Gallery Furniture Tempur-Pedic? "Well, we're retired teachers, my wife and I, and after thirty-seven years of teaching in the Special Education field, there is plenty of tension and stress that gets built up - and after two weeks the Tempur-Pedic took all of our stress away.  The Tempur-Pedic conformed to our bodies - and our back and neck problems just went away!  You start to feel your energy level go up!"

Steve went on to talk about the great comfort he and his wife have on their Tempur-Pedic: "What's amazing is that you can fall asleep in any position you prefer - side, back, whatever - and you wake feel energized, refreshed, and rested.  It's something else, it really is!"

When asked just how long Steve has been shopping with Gallery Furniture, Steve paused a few minutes then said "You know, since the late 80's - what I love the most about shopping at Gallery Furniture is that when I shop, I want a counselor.  I don't want a salesperson, I really need a counselor.  Someone to guide me, not push me.  And Gallery Furniture does that - Gallery Furniture helps you make a decision.  If there is ever a problem, you come back and you are taken care of.  Everything in the house is from Gallery Furniture - the leather stuff we have, dining room, the den, this new recliner, and of course our Tempur-Pedic.  I just won't go anywhere else!"

One Loyal Gallery Furniture Customer Spreads the Word... TODAY!

Long-Time Customer Danessa Turns Simon into a Gallery Furniture Loyal Customer!

Her name is Danessa, and she's been coming to Gallery Furniture for about seven years now - she fondly recalls her first trip to Gallery Furniture for a dining room table back then.  "I was a single mom," Danessa said, "and Mack was right there in the store when I came in looking for a dining room table.  My children and I had been wish shopping for some time, and it was time to buy.  The dining room set I wanted was still available and they were getting ready to tag it with a price."

Danessa was then shocked and pleasantly surprised when Mack walked up, grabbing a price tag when she realized she shouldn't be waiting and said "Here's the price, how does this look?" Danessa was stunned at the low price of the table - "We had looked around, and Mack really took good care of me as a single mom, and the table and chair set was going for about 700 everywhere else in town at the time, and Mack had it for 325!"

That moment was a defining moment for Danessa - she has been coming back ever since, and, as she added: "I bring everyone I know to Gallery Furniture!  This is Simon's first time!  He's a newbie here!"  Danessa laughed, and so did Simon, as Danessa recalled other purchases she made at Gallery Furniture.  "I had been looking at a Dream Deal at one point, then I ended up buying more than just that, as I picked other items out that were here - and so there is no other place to buy furniture as far as I am concerned."

Simon, now a Gallery Furniture believer, was not as convinced at first, and took Danessa to Roomstore and other competitors before the purcahse of their new gorgeous Coaster dual-toned panel bedroom set at Gallery Furniture.  "I took her around to other stores, and she was set on Gallery Furniture the whole time."  Adds Danessa: "I knew there was no where else to shop for me.  Especially since that awful fire, I had to come out and show my support for Mattress Mack and Gallery Furniture."

And Simon's new opinion of Gallery Furniture? "I admit, this is the best deal in the whole city.  I mean, we went everywhere, and well, this is the best price and the best deal for this set but you wanna know what really gets me - it's the solid feel of the wood that you can feel.  The solid furniture at Gallery Furniture is just sturdy, and you can hold it and feel it.  You go to those other places, it's all, like, particle board and junk.  Here, you get the value and the quality.  It's nice."

Danessa couldn't help but chuckle and add, "I knew I'd make a believer out of him!  He's on board the train now!"

After a good laugh, Danessa then took some time to discuss her thoughts the night of the Gallery Furniture fire May 21st: "It was sad, it was more to me than just some business having a disaster, it felt like a loved one, a member of my family, was going through a horrible time.  My kids cried and cried, they came to me and asked if Mr. Mack would need help and they offered to come by and help do anything later, clean up, or something.  It was sad for us all, so I was so excited to hear about the reopening.  It's just so tragic that something so bad happened to a man who gives so much to the community."

Simon quickly added: "I had family displaced by Katrina that came to Houston, and they got all their furniture at Gallery Furniture and still order from here, even the ones that moved back."  Quickly, Danessa noted that her aunt and uncle, also displaced by the ravages of Katrina, shopped at Gallery Furniture.  

So, now that Simon has had his first Gallery Furniture experience, what does he have to say? "I will definitely be coming back!"

As for Danessa, she does have one thing she'd like to see different at Gallery Furniture: "Why don't we get a University of Houston home theater room installed?  They had a UT one and a Texas A&M one after all!"

Customers Find the Rug they Need at Gallery Furniture!

     Gallery Furniture has experts in all areas of furniture. Rug Expert Fred was able to help Scott, who came  to buy a rug for his home.  Fred was was more than happy to use his extensive knowledge of rugs to help the customer find the perfect rug for his home. 
    Returning customer Scott shops at Gallery Furniture because of the great customer service he receives. He often mentions how comfortable the Temper Pedic mattress he purchased at Gallery Furniture is, and how it helped lessen his back pains.  Scott compliments the movers who delivered his bed, because of how friendly and helpful they were. 
    When referring to Gallery Furniture, Scott always has great things to say. The reason I keep coming back to the store is because it is a great place to see friendly faces and I love the great selection". Come to Gallery Furniture today where you can buy it TODAY and get it TODAY!

The Dream Deal Delights Customers

Gallery Furniture loves to delight customers. Tammy, recently bought Dream Deal #1.  She liked it so much she had to call Gallery Furniture ecstatic with joy, to rave about her purchase.

For the low price of $1999.99 Tammy received a sofa, loveseat, coffee table, two end tables, two lamps, an entertainment center, and a beautiful flat screen 42” HD TV! She couldn’t believe that she had purchased a room full of furniture for such a low price! Tammy was so impressed she even forwarded emails with information about the Dream Deal to her friends.  Tammy's favorite piece of the dream deal package was the beautiful HD TV that she enjoyed for the holidays.

Even though Tammy is a long-time Gallery Furniture customer and had purchased Tempur-Pedic mattresses before.  She was still impressed with the store experience and expressed that Gallery Furniture exceeded her expectations!

Tammy was so excited, she couldn't help but to keep saying, "I love you Gallery Furniture, I love the furniture from the dream deal, and I love Mack for all his contributions to the community!" Come to Gallery Furniture TODAY and find out what your favorite piece of the dream deal is! There is a large range of furniture to choose from in different styles, colors, and material. Get your DREAM DEAL TODAY!

A Gallery Furniture Investment

Many things can damage your electronics and there is no way to prevent incidents such as lighting.  Gallery Furniture provides the next best thing with an In-Home Service plan for electronics to protect your investment.  It is a 3 year warranty that covers what manufacturers don’t (except light bulbs).  The way it works is that if anything goes wrong with your Television you call Gallery Furniture service team and tell them the problem.  They contact a technician in your area that will go to your home to fix the problem.  It’s that easy!  Plus, if you don’t use the In-home Extended Service Plan within three years, you don’t lose that money, like with other warranties, it becomes in-store credit for the amount of the In-Home Service Plan!

The Sanchez family came to Gallery Furniture five years ago and being the smart customers that they are they purchased the Gallery Furniture In Home Electronic Service.  Fortunately they never had to use it. They came in to Gallery Furniture today to look at TVs because Mr. Sanchez really wanted to watch the important Football games on a big screen TV.  They just came to look because they were low on cash and thought their In-Home Service credit was expired, like with other stores.  When they arrived they were excited to find out that the money was still there in their account!  The Sanchez's decided to immediately purchase a 50” HD TV!  They whole family was excited and couldn't wait to take it home and try it out!

There you have it folks, the GALLERY FURNITURE 3 year IN-HOME Service plan for electronics is an investment.  Come to GALLERY FURNITURE, Houston’s #1 store between Tidwell and Parker. Don’t risk losing your Television, because of forces you can’t control get the Gallery Furniture In-Home Service.

 

Gallery Furniture Takes Care of You

This holiday season, Gallery Furniture has been overwhelmed by stories of customers who have found just what they needed in the huge selection and friendly service at the store. Some have been loyal customers for years, others are newly converted after less than fantastic experiences at other furniture stores. Either way, Gallery Furniture greatly enjoys hearing how the store has made your life better. The following stories are from two recent customers.

Lawrence came in to Gallery Furniture with his wife and little girl to purchase a cocktail table from the contemporary collection. He had an excellent experience last time he’d visited; the dining room set he’d purchased had far exceeded his expectations. This time, Lawrence found the perfect cocktail table, and is very excited about showing it off. He told us he would definitely be back for his next purchase and would recommend Gallery Furniture to friends and family. Lawrence and his family love being able to choose from such a huge inventory of furniture and receive their purchase TODAY!

Paul and his family had been all over Houston trying to find the perfect living room set. They went to the Dump, but just couldn’t forget that Gallery Furniture promises to save you money and deliver TODAY! They soon came to Gallery Furniture and found exactly what they wanted. Juan helped them pick out matching leather couches to fit the current style of their home. They said they were so lucky to find exactly what they wanted and were very impressed with how easy the experience had been.

Paul’s wife couldn’t express enough how positive their experience was and how they can’t wait to tell their friends. Everything in the store, from the play ground for the kids, to the food deli, to the amazing service impressed them immensely; next time they need furniture, their first stop will be Gallery Furniture.

The Gift of Furniture - George Bush Sr. Visits Gallery Furniture!

Gallery Furniture was proud to welcome an old friend and customer, the former President of the United States of America, George Bush Sr. George Bush Senior is also known as “41.” 41 came in to give the gift of furniture to one of his friends. Former President George Bush has been a long time friend of Gallery Furniture, and enjoyed being in the store today.

While 41 was visiting, he met one of Gallery Furniture’s fellow Aggie interns, Rebekah Fields. He gave her a little advice, “Don’t let them longhornize you!” She replied, “I will always be an Aggie!”

The Gallery Furniture Team got into the Christmas Spirit when Darryl sung a familiar Christmas Carol to George Bush Sr. The visit drew a crowd, and all customers experienced a once in a lifetime moment.

Having Former President George Bush in the store is a perfect way to start off the Christmas season at Gallery Furniture. Come into Gallery Furniture, and you never know who you may see! Shop today, buy today, and leave happy!

Give the gift of furniture this Christmas season. Gallery Furniture SAVES YOU MONEY TODAY!

Below are more Pictures from the Visit of 41 himself to Gallery Furniture!

 
Salesperson "Bull" above with 41!

 
Darryl Luckett sings a Christmas tune for our President Bush!

 

Second Time's a Charm at Gallery Furniture!

Brent and Tracie found themselves in Gallery Furniture for the second time. The first time they were in Gallery Furniture, they had furnished their home some time ago for their Houston abode.  Today, they were excited to purchase a new Houston living room set that included a sofa, a recliner, and a love seat.  All items Gallery Furniture has in-stock and ready for immediate delivery!

Giovanni was their Gallery Furniture salesperson. They said that the favorite part about coming to Gallery Furniture is the fact that they can come into Gallery Furniture, meet an intelligent salesperson that can help them find what they need, and get what they need. They described their shopping experience as simply "excellent".  Brent and Tracie would recommend shopping at Gallery Furniture, Houston's number one furniture store to anyone. They wanted to express that they felt Mattress Mack "is doing a great job and they appreciate his philanthropy towards family and children and the local community!"

Gallery Furniture is about care and service - to its customers, to its employees, and to Houston - TODAY.   Gallery Furniture is proud to have customers like Brent and Tracie who frequent Gallery Furniture for the price, the selection, and the service.  Come on down to 6006 I-45 North between Tidwell and Parker.