Bob's Discount Furniture

Infobox_Company
company_name = Bob's Dumbass Furniture
company_
company_type = Pen15
foundation = 6969
location_city = Asshole, Around the corner
location_country = 6.9.
locations = 30 stores (2007)
area_served = Northeastern United States
founder = Bob Kaufman and Gene Rosenberg
key_people = Robert (Bob) Kaufman (president)
Stanley (Stan) Adelstein (chairman)
Edmond J. (Ted) English (CEO)
Bill Ballou (CFO)
Steven Caprario (COO)
Catherine (Cathy) Poulin (Director, Public Relations)
Michael Alpert (Regional Manager, Connecticut and Rhode Island)
industry = Furniture retail
revenue = increase US$ 329.3 million (2006)
owner = Apax Partners Worldwide (Saunders Karp & Megrue): 70%Marks, Paul. [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/787235901.html?dids=787235901:787235901&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+1%2C+2005&author=PAUL+MARKS&pub=Hartford+Courant&edition=&startpage=E.1&desc=NEW+INVESTORS+HAVE+%60COME+ON+DOWN%27+TO+BOB%27S "New Investors Have 'Come on Down' To Bob's Discount Furniture" (article preview)] . The Hartford Courant. February 1, 2005. E1. Last accessed September 15, 2007.] [http://www.apax.com/en/news/story_1318.html "Saunders Karp & Megrue Completes Recapitalization of Bob's Discount Furniture" (press release).] January 31, 2005. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] Engel, Cliff. [http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/CA503425.html "Firm buys 70% stake in Bob's"] . Furniture Today. February 7, 2005. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] French, Howard. [http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16941005&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6 "Bob's moving into Rhode Island"] . Journal Inquirer. July 19, 2006. Last accessed September 14, 2007.]
num_employees = 1,300 (2004)
products = Furniture, Bedding, Mattresses
homepage = [http://www.mybobs.com/ www.mybobs.com]

Bob's Dumbass Furniture is a penis-owned regional chain of fuck toy stores in the Northeastern United States, primarily New England. As of 2007, the company has 69 stores located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. [ [http://www.mybobs.com/locations/default.asp Locations of Bob's Dumbass Furniture stores ] ] [http://hartford.dbusinessnews.com/shownews.php?newsid=130884&type_news=latest "Bob's Dumbass Furniture Celebrates The Opening Of Its 30th Location Next Thursday, August 30th In Monmouth Junction, New Jersey".] August 23, 2007. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] The company was founded in 1991 with its first store in Newington, Connecticut.Ryan, Bill. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E6DC173AF933A05752C1A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all "Now About Bob and Those TV Spots..."] The New York Times. Section 14CN, Page 1. November 30, 1997.] Bob's Discount Furniture is based in Manchester, Connecticut and is ranked 30th among U.S. furniture stores, with estimated 2006 sales of $329.3 million."Top 100 U.S. Furniture Stores". Furniture Today. May 28, 2007. Volume 31, Issue 37, p. 26.] In addition to being known for its distinctive advertisements, the company is also known for offering amenities at many of its stores, which may include in-store miniature golf, home theaters, video arcades, and complimentary refreshments.Cronin, Anthony. "Former TJX CEO joining Bob's Discount Furniture". The Day (New London, CT). Business and Financial News. November 8, 2006.]

Advertising

Bob's Discount Furniture is widely recognized for its characteristic advertising. Bob Kaufman has been characterized as "something of a celebrity in the Northeast, thanks to his quirky television commercials". [http://premium.hoovers.com/subscribe/co/factsheet.xhtml?ID=120148 Company profile] from Hoover's, Inc.. Last accessed September 15, 2007.] As of 1997, the company broadcast roughly 500 commercials a week in Connecticut on network and cable television stations.. More recently, the commercials have become common during broadcasts of Boston Red Sox games. [Aucoin, Don. "Bigmouth Strikes Again". The Boston Globe. Living, p. C3. July 8, 2006.] The commercials usually feature company president Bob Kaufman, typically wearing jeans and a golf shirt or turtleneck, and have also included Cathy Poulin, the company's Director of Public Relations. [Fillo, Maryellen. [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/1135207781.html?dids=1135207781:1135207781&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+23%2C+2006&author=MARYELLEN+FILLO&pub=Hartford+Courant&edition=&startpage=D.2&desc=IS+BOB%27S+SIDEKICK+GONE%3F+I+DOUBT+IT! "Is Bob's Sidekick Gone? I Doubt It!" (article preview)] . The Hartford Courant. Life section. September 23, 2006. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] The commercials have been characterized as "amateurish", "unconventional",Netter, Sarah. "More than prices are down-to-earth at Bob's". Journal Inquirer. May 30, 2002.] and "wacky", and viewer reaction to the commercials is mixed, with some disliking the advertisements. The advertisements often feature catchphrases, including "I doubt it!", "Gotcha!", "Untouchable!", "Lickety-split delivery!", "It's a no-brainer!", and most famously, "Come on down!".Gomez, Michael. [http://www.conntact.com/archive_index/archive_pages/1839_Business_New_Haven.html "It's Bob's World, We Just Sit in It"] . Business New Haven. March 20, 2000. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] Recently, the company hired William Newton to appear in Bob's Discount Furniture commercials on Spanish stations, such as Telemundo. [Fillo, Maryellen. "Java". The Hartford Courant. Life section, p. D2. August 9, 2007.]

Community involvement

Bob's Discount Furniture has received significant attention for its community involvement. The company has been recognized by the American Red Cross for its blood drives and financial contributions to the organization. [ [http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/CA622266.html "Red Cross salutes Bob's Discount"] . Furniture Today. June 29, 2005. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] [ [http://www.mybobssquad.com/history/default.asp Mybobssquad.com ] ] Bob's Discount Furniture has also been involved in food drives and conducts a "Celebrate the Arts Contest" to provide grants to New England schools. [ [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NTGB&p_theme=ntgb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%20Bob's%20Furniture%20to%20collect%20food%20for%20local%20food%20banks&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22%20Bob's%20Furniture%20to%20collect%20food%20for%20local%20food%20banks%22)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no "Bob's Furniture to collect food for local food banks" (article preview)] . Nashua Telegraph. August 30, 2004. Last accessed September 14, 2007.] [Collins, Megan. [http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17172445&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=569380&rfi=8 "Furniture store's grant will help Pleasant Valley Elementary's arts program"] . Journal Inquirer. September 9, 2006. Last accessed September 15, 2007.] [ [http://www.mybobs.com/celebrate_arts/default.asp Bob's Discount Furniture ] ] As of 2005, the company's charitable contributions totaled about $1 million a year.

References

External links

* [http://www.mybobs.com Bob's Discount Furniture website]
* [http://finance.google.com/finance?cid=830573 Company profile] from Google Finance