May 22, 2009
Gallery Furniture fire

Like most people in Houston, I was shocked and saddened to hear about this.


As flames ripped through one of Houston's most notable retail icons Thursday night, Gallery Furniture founder Jim McIngvale vowed to rebuild.

But McIngvale, who earned fame with his colorful commercials and self-imposed moniker of Mattress Mack, acknowledged "millions and millions" in dollars of merchandise had been damaged in his flagship store's warehouse.

To his employees he promised, "We won't quit."

This morning he was at his other location at 2411 Post Oak Blvd., which opened earlier this year, preparing to start selling furniture again. True to form, shortly after dawn he was filming a commercial to remind customers of the new Galleria-area location.

McIngvale said it wasn't clear when he could get back into the original location, much less reopen it. In the meantime, he said the store is scouting locations for warehouse space to house several truckloads of furniture on its way.


Mack and Gallery Furniture are Houston icons, and if anyone can come back from this, they can. My best wishes to them as they rebuild.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 22, 2009 to Elsewhere in Houston
Comments

I agree, he is a very determined person. They will rebuild and be better than ever.
Thanks, Rodger.

Posted by: Rodger on May 25, 2009 12:21 PM
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