San Francisco Mart Honors Industry Players With Gold Pass Award

Furniture World Magazine

Each Market, the San Francisco Mart presents a Lifetime Gold Pass Award to select Western retailers who have distinguished themselves by their industry participation, the caliber of their retail stores and their ongoing support of the SFM. The Summer Market 2001 winners, Bob Rubenstein of Expressions and Stuart Shleifer of Shleifer Furniture, were honored at a ceremony on July 21 at the WHFA Resource Center, 7th floor of Mart 2. Bob Rubenstein first accompanied his dad to Market in 1946 and started attending on his own in 1954. Working in the family business, which was founded in 1924, Rubenstein, his dad and three brothers built a dynamic furniture chain in Oregon. One of the stores, the 50,000-square-foot Rubenstein’s store in Portland’s Lloyd Center, was America’s first furniture store in a major regional mall. Rubenstein’s won many awards for its unique merchandising and marketing, but most of all, for its outstanding personal service In 1970, Rubenstein became active in NHFA and soon joined their Board, on which he served for 18 years. He became the NHFA president in 1989 and then chairman of the board. He also served as president of the NHFA Group Insurance Trust. Rubenstein’s closed all their stores in 1990, and Rubenstein became a factory rep. When Arizona Lifestyles offered him a chance to get back into retail, Rubenstein moved to Phoenix and was again active in store management and buying. More recently, Rubenstein and his wife, Ellen, opened a new Expressions franchise in Scottsdale. He has brought his years of retailing experience and good taste to an outstanding showplace in a very demanding strip of home furnishings stores. To commemorate attendance at nearly 60 markets, the Mart is honoring Stuart Shleifer of Shleifer Furniture with a Lifetime Gold Pass. In 1971, Shleifer joined his dad, Sam, to work in the store that his dad had founded in Portland in 1936. Shleifer and his brother, Allan, built a respected independent store. Shleifer’s specific responsibilities have included buying, merchandising, advertising and floor display. He has been active with the Pacific Furniture Dealers, serving as chairman of various buying committees and as president in 2000 and 2001. Outside of the furniture business, Shleifer’s has dedicated 25 years of service to the Central Eastside Industrial Council, whose goal has been to upgrade the second largest employment zone in Portland. Shleifer was asked by Neil Goldschmidt, then mayor of Portland and later governor of Oregon, to found this worthy civic organization. In all that he does, Shleifer exhibits the passion and drive that have made him a successful businessman.