Son recalls bedding lessons taught by his late father
David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, January 8, 2006
They are lessons he learned from his father and thus will never forget. Gerry Borreggine, president of Therapedic, recalled some of those lessons the other day as he remembered the impact his father Frank had on his life.
The elder Borreggine began his bedding career in the mid-1960s and remained involved in one way or another until his death on Dec. 28 at 79. He passed along his passion for the industry to his son, who has spent virtually his entire career in the bedding field.
In 1965, Frank became a bedding buyer for the Lit Brothers' department store chain. In 1977 he founded 40 Winks Sleep Shops, which grew into a dominant player in the tough Philadelphia market, and which remained in the Borreggine family until last year.
One of his first mentors in business called him Frank Barr, and that name stuck with him throughout his career. Frank had several rules for doing good bedding business. Gerry recalls them clearly:
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Keep your bedding assortments narrow and deep.
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When taking a markdown, make your first markdown your best and only one.
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Volume covers a multitude of sins. Make the adjustments while you are able.
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Always show a mattress in a mattress ad!
Some of those lessons Gerry learned easily, but others were harder to master. Take the maxim about always showing a mattress in a mattress ad. Back when laborious cut-and-paste techniques were used to create ads, Gerry came up with what he thought was an especially strong and clever ad.
"Where's the mattress in this ad?" his father asked. "What are you selling here?" The younger Borreggine said that everyone knew 40 Winks sold mattresses. "You flatter yourself," his father responded.
Convinced he was right, Gerry ran the ad. It bombed.
"My father was right once more," Gerry said. "I never wrote another ad that didn't prominently feature a mattress."
Frank Borreggine continued to stay interested in the family's retail bedding business, even after he officially retired, offering insights to family members running the stores.
When Gerry moved to the manufacturing side of the business, joining Therapedic, Frank had a new company to follow.
"He knew many of the Therapedic licensees through me," Gerry said. "He followed what we were doing, and he would sometimes offer his advice or suggestions. He was proud of the progress of our group, and the success that we shared in that growth."
He also was proud of his son. Now the son will honor his father's legacy by pressing ahead in the business his father loved for 40 years.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
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