Long's satisfies celebrity customers
David Perry -- Furniture Today, July 4, 2005
New York — What do John Lennon, Mick Jagger and former president John Kennedy all have in common?
They all shopped at Long's Bedding and Interiors, the longest continuously operating bedding showroom in Manhattan, which opened its doors in 1911.
Four generations of the Long family have served tri-state consumers in the company's long history.
And since New York is home to legions of the rich and famous, Long's has had literally hundreds of celebrity customers over the years.
When Bob Long, president, sat down recently and took stock of the celebrity list, he came up with almost 400 names.
He also came up with some interesting behind-the-scenes stories of the rich and famous.
Take Mick Jagger, for example. The legendary Rolling Stones rocker had a special request for Long's: He wanted a wall-to-wall bed that would cover his entire bedroom floor.
Exactly what he wanted to do with a bed of that size he didn't say. Long was smart enough not to ask, but he had the bed manufactured to Jagger's exacting specifications.
One of Long's favorite stories deals with financier and Revlon Chairman Ron Perelman, who, at last count, had 10 homes around the world. Perelman, being a firm leader, wanted custom-made, extra-firm mattresses at each of his homes.
But — and this was the catch — he also wanted one in his Florida hotel room right away.
Don't Revlon chairmen ever plan ahead?
Long found a trucker to drive the mattress to the hotel — thus pleasing the picky Perelman.
Long's has found favor with celebrities by working closely with interior designers throughout the city, many of which have celebrity clients. But Long and his staff also work directly with some of the celebrities themselves — helping their company develop a reputation for exceptional service.
The list of satisfied celebrity clients includes Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin, Carly Simon (before, during and after her marriage to James Taylor), Matt Lauer, Connie Chung and Diane Sawyer.
To be diplomatic, the list should also include such well-known diplomats as Henry Kissinger.
Bob Long has a clever way of turning the celebrity customers into a powerful consumer marketing message.
"If our products and service are good enough to satisfy a world-famous celebrity," he says, "imagine what we can do for you."
Long's carries bedding by Aireloom, Englander, Simmons, Therapedic and Tempur-Pedic, in addition to a number of its own brands.
