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Jordan's Furniture
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFurniture retailers
FoundedWaltham, Massachusetts, in 1918; 106 years ago (1918)
FounderSamuel Tatelman
Headquarters
Taunton, Massachusetts
,
U.S.
Number of locations
9 (2023)
Area served
Connecticut (2), Maine (1), Massachusetts (4), New Hampshire (1) and Rhode Island (1)
Key people
Eliot Tatelman
Barry Tatelman (until 2006)
ProductsFurniture, bedding, mattresses
ParentBerkshire Hathaway
Websitejordans.com

Jordan's Furniture is an American furniture retailer in New England. There are currently eight retail locations—three in Massachusetts (Avon, Natick, and Reading) and five in other New England states (Nashua, New Hampshire; New Haven, Connecticut; Farmington, Connecticut; South Portland, Maine, and Warwick, Rhode Island)—plus a corporate office and warehouse in East Taunton, Massachusetts.[1] Since 1999, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

History

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The company was started by Samuel Tatelman, who sold furniture from a truck for a decade until opening a store in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1928.[2] In 1940, his son Edward joined the business.[3] In 1973, Edward's sons Barry and Eliot took over the business.[2] They stopped advertising on the back page of the Waltham paper and started advertising on radio. The origin of the company's name is uncertain; Barry once said that their grandfather chose the name out of a hat.[2] Samuel Tatelman died in 1979,[4] and Edward Tatelman died in 1980.[3]

In 1983, Barry and Eliot built and opened the Nashua, New Hampshire, location. In 1987, they opened the Avon, Massachusetts, location, creating the largest traffic jam ever recorded on Route 24. Barry and Eliot had to go on the radio to beg people not to come, while customers stood in line for hours waiting for their turn to go into the showroom.

On April 17, 1998, Barry and Eliot opened the then-largest Jordan's Furniture, in Natick, Massachusetts. With 120,000 sq ft (11,000 m2) of showroom space and a Mardi Gras/Bourbon Street theme, the location introduced Jordan's to the MetroWest area.

In October 1999, the Tatelman brothers sold the company and its four retail locations to conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.[5][6] At the time of the sale, Barry and Eliot said it would enable them to give their children the freedom to choose any career,[7] and would help the Tatelmans to open more stores.[6] Each employee received a financial gift of 50 cents for every hour ever worked at Jordan's.[6] Operationally, Barry and Eliot remained at the helm as integral parts of the company, while still starring in the brand's radio and television commercials.

The Waltham store closed in October 2004, the same month that the Reading, Massachusetts, store opened, becoming the largest of Jordan's locations.[2] It includes a complete showroom, warehouse, dining, and entertainment. In addition, Jordan's opened a 750,000 sq ft (70,000 m2) warehouse and office complex in East Taunton, Massachusetts. In 2005, the warehouse underneath the Avon store was converted into the Colossal Clearance Center, containing over 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) of clearance merchandise.

Barry Tatelman left the company in December 2006, to pursue other interests including helping to produce the Broadway show Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.[8]

In December 2015, Jordan's Furniture opened its doors in New Haven, Connecticut, in the building that formerly housed the New Haven Register,[9] with Warren Buffett attending the grand opening.[10] In 2020, the company opened a location at The Maine Mall in South Portland.[11] In 2023, the company opened a location at the Westfarms Mall in Farmington, Connecticut.

Entertainment

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On August 22, 2002, the IMAX theater at Jordan's Furniture in Natick opened its doors to the public. An IMAX theater was also opened at the Jordan's location in Reading in 2004.

Main article: Jordan's IMAX

A ropes course, branded as "It", is featured at three locations: Reading, New Haven, and South Portland.[12] Each also features a course for children, branded "LittleIt".[12] The company promotes their New Haven location as "the largest indoor ropes course in the world".[12]

The Reading location features "Beantown", which is a "replica of Downtown Boston and its most famous landmarks" made from jelly beans.[13]

The Avon store seasonally features "The Enchanted Village", which was originally displayed by Jordan Marsh at their Downtown Crossing store in Boston; Jordan's purchased it from the City of Boston after the city discontinued displaying it.[14][15]

As of July 2022, there are dining options within the Jordan's in Avon (Montilio's) and Reading (Fuddruckers).[1] Sally's Apizza of New Haven will be added to the Westfarms Mall, Farmington, CT location.

Defunct entertainments

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On Mother's Day of 1992, the Motion Odyssey Movie (MOM) opened in the Avon store, after five years of planning and a $2.5 million investment.[14] A theme ride originally produced by George Lucas, its profits were donated to charity.[16] As of 2015, the ride was still operating, although "only during select school vacation weeks and holidays."[16] The ride was later revised and rebranded as "The Polar Express 4-D Experience", last appearing on the company's website in late 2018.[17]

The Reading store once featured a trapeze school, which included a 30-foot-tall (9.1 m), net-enclosed swing that anyone could sign up to use, along with seating for observers.[18]

The Warwick, Rhode Island location offered a free visual experience titled "Splash", in which it contained LED lights flashing to dancing water fountains to all-time music. The attraction was in operation from its grand opening in 2011 to presumably mid-2017.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Store Locations & Hours". jordans.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Myerov, Joshua (October 24, 2004). "Jordan's shutdown marks era's end". The Boston Globe. p. West 7. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Edward Tatelman, 67". The Boston Globe. September 13, 1980. p. 26. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Samuel F. Tatelman". The Boston Globe. August 12, 1979. p. B10. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "JORDAN'S FURNITURE SELLS TO BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC" (Press release). Berkshirehathaway.com. 1999-10-11. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  6. ^ a b c Blanton, Kimberly (October 12, 1999). "Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Jordan's". The Boston Globe. p. D7. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Blanton, Kimberly (October 12, 1999). "Brothers will sell Jordan's Furniture". The Boston Globe. p. 1. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Reidy, Chris (December 21, 2006). "Barry Tatelman leaves Jordan's Furniture". Boston.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Jordan's Furniture Opening Store". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. May 8, 2015. p. A6. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Buffett to Zanes: Celebs are out and about". The Boston Globe. December 13, 2015. p. B12. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Bliss thru Shopping (column)". Sun Journal. Lewiston, Maine. September 11, 2020. p. C3. Retrieved July 4, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c "Attractions". jordans.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  13. ^ "Beantown at Jordan's Furniture". vdainc.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Engel, Clint (May 1, 2017). "Jordan's path to success: Entertainment that gets customers all the way through the store". furnituretoday.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  15. ^ "Attractions: The Enchanted Village". jordans.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Eaton, Perry (May 7, 2015). "For the Past 23 Years, This Has Been the Hottest Mom in Massachusetts". Boston.com. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  17. ^ "Polar Express MOM 4D ride in Jordan's Furniture Avon, MA". jordans.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ^ Bahr, Jeff (2009). Amazing and Unusual America. Chicago: Publications International. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-4127-1683-3.
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