In May 2000, Furniture/Today called B&P a “from-out-of-nowhere story” when the retailer debuted at 100 on their list of Top 100 U.S. Furniture Stores in the country.  But the truth is that the company has been strategically building a successful business since it’s founding.
Under the guidance of co-founders Bernie and Phyllis Rubin and sons Larry and Rob Rubin, B&P has earned a stellar reputation in the industry.  Every facet of the company is infused with the philosophy that its founders learned as children – be honest and treat people the way you would want to be treated.

B&P’s Business Model

At B&P, the business model is straightforward.  Give customers a shopping experience that is second to none.  Create and foster a happy and productive workplace where employees want to exceed your expectations every day.  Build strong and mutually beneficial relationships with vendors.  Use cutting-edge technology to build a solid and efficient infrastructure.  Give back to the community.  This is what Bernie & Phyl’s does best every day. 

At B&P, customers won’t find high-pressure sales tactics or phony sales with trumped up prices that later get “reduced.”  The company has never had a “sale” and never will because the goal of the company is to give customers beautiful, quality furniture at a price they can afford every day.  B&P works closely with well-known manufacturers to purchase the best furniture at the best value.  By making deals with American and imported furniture vendors, buying in large quantities, and buying direct on imported goods, B&P is able to give customers the lowest prices all the time.  The retailer also has special relationships with its vendors (due to the high volume they purchase), which allow it to offer customers next day delivery on in-stock merchandise and 30-day delivery on special orders.

B&P encourages customers to shop around because they know customers cannot find the same quality furniture for less anywhere else.  The company can sell their furniture for less because they work on smaller margins than many competitors, but make up the difference in volume of sales, internal efficiencies, and overall business operating strategies.  For example, B&P has made Furniture/Today’s Top 10 lists in the important “sales per square foot” category and “average stock turns” category every year since joining the ranks of the Top 100 Furniture Stores in the country in 2000.

Contributing to the company’s success has also been its strategic decision to buy retail sites rather than leasing properties.  The company owns all of its six store sites as well as its corporate headquarters/distribution center in Norton.

In 1995, B&P bought its current headquarters, warehouse, and land in Norton to support its ambitious future growth plans.  In 1997, the company purchased a 42,000 s/f building and 26,000 s/f warehouse on Rt. 9 in Westboro, which marked a major transition for B&P.  The Westboro store was their first store where the “presentation of the furniture” became an important part of the sales strategy.  It was a spectacular success.  A prominent 50,000 s/f building on Rt. 1 in Saugus went up for sale and the company bought it and opened their second major furniture showroom in January 1999. 

In August 2001, the company purchased another high profile site – a 41,000 s/f building on the Daniel Webster Highway in Nashua, NH.  The Nashua store opened in September 2001, while plans for a new three-story 86,000 s/f furniture showroom were developed.  The new store was constructed in two phases, so that the showroom never had to close for business.

In June 2003, the company purchased a former Ames store with 55,000 s/f on Route 44 in Raynham and opened a store there in August 2003.  In October 2004, B&P purchased a 50,000 square foot building in Braintree and opened its new store there in February 2005.

Along the way, B&P has garnered numerous awards.  In 2004, the company was awarded the Better Business Bureau’s coveted Torch Award, which recognizes remarkable businesses committed to promoting ethical business practices.  In 2003, B&P was selected as one of ten international retailers to receive the Executive Technology Retail Community Service Award, which honors businesses that are building a better world for people through their community service efforts.  B&P was the smallest retailer to have ever received this award.  In 2002, B&P received the highest honor in its industry – the National Home Furnishings Association’s Retailer of the Year award.  The company was also chosen in 2002 as the recipient of the Home Furnishings Association of New England’s prestigious Robert E. Richmond Award of Eminence, which is given to companies who exemplify strong ethics and professionalism and has been given out only 12 times since 1977.  In 2000, B&P was named 2000 Retailer of the Year by the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.

Charitable Giving

As a successful business, B&P is serious about giving back to those that are less fortunate.  Their Friends In Need program regularly donates furniture to charitable organizations across the region.  In the last six years, the company has donated over $3 million worth of furniture to Morgan Memorial Goodwill and Teen Challenge New England – organizations that it donates to on a regular basis – as well as to other charitable organizations in need.  For several years, B&P worked closely with Habitat for Humanity to help furnish the homes they built and has donated furniture to over 25 Habitat houses across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 

The company is also involved in many other community initiatives outside of furniture donations.  These include holding annual Red Cross blood drives in its stores, the annual Bernie’s Baseball Buddies program that takes underprivileged kids to see a Red Sox game and tour Fenway Park, sponsoring youth sports teams in local communities, and many public service television sponsorships.

While most companies aspire to have a “family atmosphere,” Bernie & Phyl’s has the real thing. The company was founded by the husband and wife team of Bernie and Phyllis Rubin in 1983. Their son Robert joined the company in 1985, and son Larry joined in 1987. Although their daughter Michelle doesn’t work for the company anymore, son-in-law Robert Pepe has been a Bernie & Phyl’s employee since 1990.

Headquarters:

Corporate office and distribution center in Norton, Massachusetts

Retail Stores:

• Braintree (50,000 s/f)
• Nashua, NH (86,000 s/f)
• Raynham, MA (55,000 s/f)
• Saugus, MA (50,000 s/f)
• Westboro, MA (50,000 s/f)
• Weymouth, MA (bedding and clearance center)

Philosophy:

Bernie & Phyl’s has a unique approach to buying and selling furniture. The company’s buyers work closely with well-known manufacturers to purchase only the best furniture at the best value for its customers. By making deals with furniture vendors, buying in large quantities, and buying direct on imported goods, Bernie & Phyl’s is able to give its customers the lowest prices all the time on brand name furniture and accessories. Bernie & Phyl’s also has special relationships with its vendors (due to the high volume they purchase) which allow them to offer customers next day delivery on in-stock merchandise and 30-day delivery on special orders. No other furniture retailer can match Bernie & Phyl’s commitment to offering only the highest quality furniture – with fast delivery and great service – at prices below their competitors.

Awards:

• 2004 Better Business Bureau Local Torch Award for Excellence

• 2004 Community Pride Award from the Business & Economic Development Commission of Raynham

• 2003 Executive Technology Retail Community Service Award

• 2002 Retailer of the Year Award from the National Home Furnishings Association

• 2002 Home Furnishings Association of New England’s Robert E. Richmond Award of Eminence

• 2000 Retailer of the Year by the Retailers Association of Massachusetts

Selection:

Bernie & Phyl’s has a huge selection of American and imported furniture and home furnishings for every area of the house including:

• Living Room/Family Room (sofas, love seats, recliners, chairs, leather furniture, motion furniture, coffee/end/sofa/console tables, etc.)

• Dining (formal dining sets, hutches, buffets, tables, casual dining sets, etc.)

• Bedroom (sleigh beds, poster beds, head/foot boards, dressers/chests, armoires, mirrors, night stands, etc.)

• Bedding (Bernie & Phyl’s carries the largest selection of Sealy Posturepedic mattresses in the greater Boston area and an extensive selection of Stearns and Foster bedding)

• Youth (bunk beds, captain’s beds, decorative beds, twin head boards, dressers/chests, etc.)

• Entertainment (wall units, home entertainment centers, television/stereo stands, etc.)

• Home Office (desks, office chairs, computer work stations, bookcases, computer carts, filing cabinets, etc.)

• Accessories (lighting/lamps, decorative items, wall hangings, mirrors, etc.)

Brands:

Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture sells many well-known brands of furniture.
A sampling of manufacturers includes:

• Aico
• Ashley
• Berkline
• Craftmaster
• Decoro
• Douglas
• England/Corsair
• H.M. Richards
• Klaussner
• Legends
• Magnussen Presidential
• Master Design
• Sealy Bedding, Upholstery, and Leather
• Stearns and Foster
• Vaughan
• Vaughan-Bassett
• Webb

Charitable Giving:

As a successful business, Bernie & Phyl’s believes it is their obligation to give back to those that are less fortunate. Their Friends In Need program regularly donates furniture to charitable organizations. In the last five years, they have donated over $3 million worth of furniture to Morgan Memorial Goodwill and Teen Challenge New England – organizations that they donate to on a regular basis.

Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture also helped furnish all of the homes the Boston and Nashua Habitat for Humanity organizations built from 2001 to 2004. The retailer donated furniture for over 25 Habitat houses across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Additionally, they provided Habitat with monetary support and volunteers to work at building sites.

Bernie & Phyl’s is involved in many other community initiatives outside of furniture donations. These include holding annual Red Cross blood drives in their stores, the annual Bernie’s Baseball Buddies program, sponsoring youth sports teams in local communities, and many public service television sponsorships with media partners.

Advertising:

Bernie and Phyllis Rubin, who have been married for over 45 years, have become popular personalities as result of starring in their company’s advertising commercials over the years. Their innovative ads are humorous, entertaining, and just plain fun. Both Bernie and Phyl are down-to-earth, don’t take themselves too seriously, and are in real life pretty much the way they appear on television. Customers frequently ask, “Are they real people or just actors doing the commercials?” To which Bernie likes to reply, with a wink of course, “Believe me, we’re real. The way Phyl teases me on TV, that’s real. That’s not acting.”

E-Commerce:

In 2001, the company launched its e-commerce web site (www.bernphyl.com) which features every product in every furniture category that they carry. Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture was the first furniture retailer in Massachusetts to pursue an e-commerce web strategy to support their customers’ furniture shopping needs both on-line and in-store.

Management:

• Bernie Rubin, Co-Founder and Chairman
• Phyllis Rubin, Co-Founder
• Larry Rubin, Chief Executive Officer
• Robert Rubin, President of Merchandising and Marketing
• Robert Pepe, Operations Manager
• Michael T. Leonard, CPA, Corporate Controller
• Nick Perryclear, General Manager
• Michael Guidicianne, Visual Merchandise Manager

Bernie is not only the company’s co-founder and chairman, he is the company’s visionary.  He oversees and directs all facets of the company’s business operations and strategic growth in conjunction with the management team.  From his first job cleaning furniture at the age of 14, Bernie always dreamed of owning a furniture store.  After running a furniture delivery business with his father for nearly 30 years, Bernie finally got his wish.  Using all his savings and everything he could borrow, he (and wife Phyl) opened the first Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture in 1983.  Today, Bernie & Phyl’s Furniture has six retail locations and is one of the most successful furniture retailers in the Northeast.

Phyllis Rubin, Co-Founder

As co-founder of Bernie & Phyl’s, Phyl is the heart and soul of the company.  She worked tirelessly during the company’s early years to help build the business from a small storefront
into a major furniture powerhouse.  Phyl was involved in every part of the business when it first opened its doors – from buying furniture to working the sales floor to marketing the fledgling company.  Today, Phyl serves primarily as a company spokesperson and star (with husband Bernie) of the retailer’s well-known television ads.

Larry Rubin, Chief Executive Officer 
 
Larry is responsible for the overall operations of the company including long-term business strategy, real estate acquisitions, business operations, accounting management, and information technology.  Larry computerized the entire business including operations, inventory, sales, and other accounting functions when he first joined the company in 1987.  Larry graduated from Northeastern University in 1982 with a B.S. in electrical engineering.

Robert Rubin, President of Merchandising and Marketing

Rob handles all aspects of the furniture buying for Bernie & Phyl’s six retail stores.  He is responsible for merchandise selection, negotiating vendor deals, serving as a liaison with manufacturers, inventory maintenance, and overall monitoring of sales activities.  Rob also oversees the company’s marketing efforts including working with the company’s advertising and public relations agencies and directing overall marketing strategy for the business.  Rob joined Bernie & Phyl’s in 1985 after graduating from Syracuse University in 1984.

Robert Pepe, Operations Manager

Bob oversees the day-to-day operations of the company including furniture delivery, customer service, shipping, inventory control, and warehouse operations.  He is responsible for coordinating hundreds of furniture deliveries a day and supervises a large fleet of trucks.  Bob worked in the furniture industry for several years before joining Bernie & Phyl’s in 1990.  He began his career in the U.S. Marine Corp, where he served for four years.

Michael T. Leonard, CPA, Corporate Controller

Michael is responsible for the overall management of the financial operations of the company, including financial reporting, planning, corporate budgeting, and tax reporting. Before joining Bernie & Phyl’s, Michael spent 11 years as a corporate controller at several publicly held and private companies.  Prior to that, he spent six years at a certified public accounting firm.  He received his CPA accreditation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1990.

Nick Perryclear, General Manager

Nick manages the store operations at all of Bernie & Phyl’s retail locations.  His overall responsibilities include staffing and training of management, sales, and office personnel.  Nick joined the company in 1997, and has over 25 years of experience in the furniture industry including 11 years at Jordan’s Furniture.

Michael Guidicianne, Visual Merchandise Manager

Mike is responsible for the overall look, feel, and tone of all of Bernie & Phyl’s stores and works closely with Rob to assist in the purchasing of furniture and accessories.  He directs a team of designers and together they arrange the furniture/accessories in the stores, determine which merchandise goes into which store, create visually interesting design schemes, and monitor sales activity.  Mike joined Bernie & Phyl’s in 1999 after spending 24 years in senior visual merchandising positions at Jordan’s Furniture.  Mike began his career in the furniture business 10 years earlier at the age of 16.