After Sox Win, Sofas Are Free

Oct. 29, 2007 — -- Thousands of Red Sox fans had hoped that their team would win the World Series, not just because they are loyal fans, but because they stood to get free furniture.

Free furniture?

That's right. Thanks to a promotion at a regional furniture chain, nearly 30,000 people ended up getting free couches, dining room tables, beds and mattresses.

Way back in March and April, Jordan's Furniture ran a promotion: buy any sofa, dining room table, bed or mattress, and if the Red Sox win the World Series — yeah, go ahead and make your favorite joke about the once-cursed team — then the price of the furniture will be refunded.

Now, that the Sox swept the championship in four games, millions of dollars' worth of furniture will be given away.

"I've always been a Red Sox fan, lived in Boston my whole life," said Eliot Tatelman, president and CEO of Jordan's. "I said, 'what a great way to support the team, what a great way to tie ourselves in with the Red Sox and what a great way to get everybody rooting for the Red Sox and sell a lot of furniture.'"

So, with all that money on the line, you would think that Tatelman is rooting for the Colorado Rockies, right?

No way.

Jordan's — like most companies that run such promotions — has taken out prize indemnification insurance, which covers the payouts if the team wins the World Series.

"We're rooting for the Red Sox, too," Tatelman said.

Jordan's has four stores spread across the Boston area and has always taken a fun approach to selling furniture. The company was founded by Tatelman's grandfather about 80 years ago and was sold in 1999 to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway.

Two of the Jordan's stores have IMAX movie theaters, and yes, school groups take field trips there. Another store has a motion simulator movie ride.

Oh yeah, and Jordan's is also the "official furniture store of the Boston Red Sox."

Tatelman would not say exactly how much furniture Jordan's sold during the "Monster Deal" promotion, but did say it was just short of 30,000 orders. He would not give a dollar figure.