Perdue rolling out Big Chester chest program in Tupelo
By Powell Slaughter -- Furniture Today, February 15, 2004
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Big Chester is coming to the Tupelo market, courtesy of Perdue Furniture.
Big Chester is a freestanding bedroom chest program the promotional bedroom manufacturer released in prototype form to several customers last year, and is now rolling out to all dealers.
At the Tupelo market, Perdue shows in Tupelo Building 3, spaces 3031 and 3121.
At 47 inches high, 32 inches wide and 18 inches deep, the new chests are 40% larger than similarly priced pieces in the marketplace, said Joe Engler, Perdue's vice president of sales and marketing. The chests retail for up to $149.
"Chests are the biggest-selling single item for bedroom case pieces," Engler said. "There are a lot of promotional chests out there retailing for $39, $59 or $69, but retailers aren't making any money on them."
Finishes and features
Big Chester offers a basic chest in five finishes: light and dark pine, medium and dark oak, and ash. Features include bottom-side-mounted nylon roller guides on drawers with full-length sides for maximum storage.
The 18-inch depth is three inches deeper than most chests on the market, the company said.
"We used a longer slide, so when the consumer opens the drawer she sees a huge area to store things in," Engler said. "You can lay clothes in instead of stuffing them into the back. The drawer will hold 15 folded men's shirts and still leave room for socks and ties."
Rather than metal hardware, Big Chester uses generic wood knobs which, in combination with the finish options, allow the chests to fit into a variety of style settings.
Perdue is backing the program with point-of-purchase materials starring Big Chester, a cowboy-like character.
"He was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and he makes the biggest chests in the West," said Engler. Materials also note Perdue's domestic production. The company has two 120,000-square-foot plants, in Rapid City and Caldwell, Idaho.
Perdue looks to the chest program to expand its dealer base.
"So often, better-goods stores say they're not in the (promotional) category," Engler said. "But they told us that if we developed a good chest with roller glides, they'd carry our goods. We've already gotten commitments from those types of customers with this program."
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