Extremely rewarding

Retailer donates furniture, accents to help family

Lisa Casinger, Retail Editor -- Home Accents Today, 4/1/2005

In case you haven't noticed, there's a new reality star on the horizon, and it's a perfect fit for our industry — Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

EM: HE, as its known on message boards across the Internet and throughout the TV industry, is well into its second season and aside from garnering an Emmy nomination, the show reaches at least 15 million viewers on ABC on Sunday nights, has landed on Nielsen's list of top 10 shows watched by viewers ages 18–49 (the most desirable advertising demographic) and has helped more than two dozen families realize a better life.

The premise of the show is that in seven days a team of designers along with dozens of demolition and construction workers led by Trading Spaces alumnus carpenter Ty Pennington rebuilds an entire home for a deserving family. Families apply online to have their homes improved, but must meet ABC's criterion: "If you are, or know of, a family who has fallen victim to circumstances beyond their control that truly affects their home or the condition of their home, download an application now!"

It's a show that makes you feel good and you know these families are better off for being on it. Donations range from big show sponsors like Sears and Ford to companies in our own industry like HomeGoods, Bombay, Padma's Plantation, Paragon Picture Gallery, The Rug Market, Lane, Storehouse, Z Gallery, Lamps Plus, The Great Indoors, Barbara Cosgrove Lamps and more.

Breuners Arizona recently teamed with EM: HE on episode 17 to donate more than $60,000 worth of home furnishings, as well as their time, to the Okvath family of Gilbert, Ariz. The Okvaths' 8-year-old daughter, Kassandra was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2003, and the family of eight has been struggling physically and fiscally. Kassandra applied to ABC not for herself, but in the hopes the show would remodel the Children's Hospital Floor of University Medical Center in Tucson, where she's been undergoing bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy and surgery. EM: HE not only renovated the hospital ward, it also surprised the family with a new 5,300-sq.-ft. homae.

When design producers asked Breuners to be a partner in the project, the Breuners team not only agreed, but also pledged to do the whole house. It is only the second furniture retailer in the nation to participate at this level on the show.

"When the design producers hit town, they have two weeks to pull everything together before the show," said Tom Daley, executive vice president, general manager for the family-owned and operated Breuners. "They typically look to work with local businesses if possible and we were their first stop in town. I think they chose Breuners because of our size and selection, the fact that we are locally and family-owned and are involved in the community and also because we recently opened a free-standing kids store and the Okvaths have six children under the age of 8."

The design producers first visited Breuners on a Friday and that Sunday spent five hours with Daley and Jami Myers, Breuners merchandising executive, picking out furnishings for the whole home. More than a dozen Breuners employees helped deliver, unload and install the furnishings and Daley said with this show, what you see is what you get.

"The designers you see on the show are hardworking behind the scenes as well," he said. "We drove by one night to check the progress around 11 p.m. and Paige Hemmis was still working."

Daley said working on the project was a great opportunity for Breuners and its vendor partners and "It's a great feeling to give back to the community and see your whole team beaming with pride."

The episode aired March 13, with an hour-long local ABC broadcast live from Breuners' Scottsdale store preceding it. Since the airdate, Daley said the stores (there are four in Scottsdale, Prescott and Glendale, Ariz.) have received hundreds of emails and phone calls thanking them and praising the team for their work.

8-year old Kassandra with Breuners' Tom Daley.

$60,000 in furniture and accessories were delivered and installed within five hours, with the help of Breuners' Extreme Team.

Home furnishings and accessories filled the home and Breuners worked with partners like Clay Metal & Stone, Hooker, Klaussner, Miresco Rugs, Rowe, Stanley and more to make it happen.

Team members filled this great room with a Rowe section and Hammary cocktail table as well as other home accents.

Bryan and Nicci Okvath, left, with Breuners extreme team leaders, Tom Daley and Jami Myers.