Furniture Retail Tip #13 From Grandpa Mike-e-e! at 90 - Marriage Is A Twosome Business

Michael Greene (Grandpa Mike-e-e at 90)

Many a year ago, on my Remington portable typewriter (Typewriter? What's that?) I'd write comments about my business associate "Bubbila." (Bubbila? What's a Bubbila?)  Well, I'll tell you: "Bubbila" is a cute darling label. In real life her given name is Anita and for short reference she is known as "Bubs" by those who've known her long.

A-n-d come this December, G-d willing, for the almost sixty-seven years of the seventy-four years she's hooked me, she will have been my wife, my kids' mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother.

The reason her hook has been in me for seventy-four years is because she spotted my powerful 106 pounds (at age fifteen) from her third floor apartment window and exclaimed to her mom: "I'm going to marry that boy!" What she didn't know was that at fifteen I thought "girls" were soft boys.

A-n-d down the wedding pike, Bubbila became a first-class salesperson at our family retail store for children's furniture (of my mica designs) and bedding (top custom quality) plus unique, upholstered headboards and correlated bedspreads. The store was a small, three story affair of quality design and customer service.

Bubbila thought that every person that walked in was buying. So she'd politely stick with them for three floor walks. Poor kid. She just didn't know the meaning of  "Thank you. We'll think it over." Result? She had a phenomenal sales record and matching sore feet that had to be soaked regularly.

I also think that the reason this partner was a nifty salesperson was that she also owned a creative arts record. She taught herself chocolate sculpture in which she molded gift boxes made of chocolate filled with chocolate gifts; she created decoupage "paintings" in which she'd cut up five multi-colored, identical prints of colored paper prints, lending depth to a scene and then framed them in wood; and to round out her creative-solo, musical talent she sang in the town's Broadway music productions and on Jewish holidays, in the synagogue choir. She couldn't read music or play an instrument but had a voice that hypnotized audiences.   And when the chorale sang in concert they waited for her amateur voice to hit the right, start-up key for the "professionals" to follow.

Finally, did you know that marriage is a twosome business? Honest, it is. To wit: You bank on one another, check in regularly and expect interest in return.

You create a two partner trust that you can count on.

If you're blessed and pay attention you may have products that you jointly created, developed, marveled at, loved and be loved in return. Naturally, your business is taxing but is tax free regardless of your warm profits.

Find someone you can partner, love and be loved and you'll see your interest grow day in and day out... including weekends and holidays.

A few years ago Bubbila and I visited with ma and pa home furnishing stores across our country and were delighted to meet so many of your Bubbilas who also added their born, retail spirit to your company's success. So why don't you chiefs e-mail me about them and I'll be delighted and privileged to give them a buzz.

Thanks, again, for listening.
Grandpa Mike-e-e! at 90
Grandma Bubbila at 90...(today's her birthday)