Furniture retailing icon, leader Hershel Alpert dies at 78

Was president, CEO of Alperts in Seekonk, Mass.

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, November 29, 2010

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Hershel Alpert, longtime co-owner of former retailer Alperts in Seekonk, Mass., and a furniture industry icon, died Friday at the age of 78.

Hershel Alpert, shown two years ago at his desk in New Bedford, Mass., stayed active as an industry consultant after selling his store.

Alpert most recently was the principal of Alpert Consulting and a consultant to Serta International President Bob Sherman.

As the former president and CEO of Alperts, he led operations at the 150,000-square-foot furniture showroom and warehouse in Seekonk from 1985 until selling to Raymour & Flanigan in 2007.

He also lectured at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, where he was a faculty member and senior executive in residence. Alpert has been president and chairman of the National Home Furnishings Assn. and was chairman of the National Home Furnishings Foundation, where also was a trustee.

"He was the kind of man they don't make anymore," said Pedro Capo, chief operating officer of El Dorado Furniture in Miami Gardens, Fla., and a friend of Alpert since their days on the NHFA board. Like Alpert, Capo is a past president of NHFA and he recognized Alpert as his mentor.

"He told it like it is and he would still be your friend at the end. He had no hidden agenda. He was always very honest and very decent," Capo said.

In 1999, when Capo's father, the late Manuel Capo, was honored as an NHFA Retailer of the Year, Alpert was NHFA president. Pedro Capo recalled how Alpert, who couldn't speak Spanish, had his award presentation translated to Spanish so he could read it aloud in Capo's native language, since Manuel did not speak English. Pedro Capo fondly recalled Alpert's gift that night and then teasing him later.

"I told him, ‘Man, your Spanish is really bad, but you are a gentleman,'" he said. "We've lost a great man."

Ray Allegrezza, editor-in-chief of Furniture/Today, also recalled Alpert as a "special friend and a mentor."

"I met Hershel the first day I joined Furniture Today in 1997, which happened to be during our Leadership Conference," said Allegrezza. "I literally did not know a soul and Hersh came up and introduced himself and invited me to sit with him. He not only had the ability to connect with you and make you feel comfortable, he was always willing to help you out, no matter what the task at hand was.

A lifelong resident of New Bedford, Mass., Alpert joined the family business after serving in the army.

From 1964 to 1972, he was president of Arlan's Furniture, a subsidiary of Alperts, with stores in Massachusetts, New York and Florida. From 1972 to 1985, he was president of Alperts Furniture Warehouse and Showroom - at that time a subsidiary of General Cinema Corp., formerly Harcourt General Corp. - with 15 stores in New York, Ohio, Florida and Massachusetts.

In addition to his leadership roles with NHFA and the National Home Furnishing Foundation, he also was a board member of City of Hope, the medical research hospital with strong ties to the furniture industry.

Just a year ago, Alpert was honored with the Arthur J. Adelizzi Distinguished Service Award by the New England Chapter of the National Home Furnishings Assn., during Furniture/Today's Leadership Conference. The honor recognized "leadership in the home furnishings industry and in their community; ethical standard and integrity in dealing with their fellow man; and devotion to their family and friends."

He is survived by four children, seven grandchildren and a sister.

Funeral services were held Sunday at Congregation Tifereth Israel in New Bedford and burial followed in Plainville Cemetery in New Bedford.

Memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice or to the Hershel and Barbara Alpert Charitable Fund/Fidelity Gift Fund, care of Alpert Law LLC, 105 Chestnut St. No. 17, Needham, Mass., 02492.