It was June 22, 1989 when John’s Bedroom Barn opened its doors.
Time flies, though, and on Saturday (June 28) John Rogers, store owner, and his staff will celebrate the store’s 25th anniversary.
“Nobody had any hopes of us making it in those days anyway, and even I had my doubts,” Rogers said.
Rogers grew up in retail. His family owned Ladysmith Trading Company, which his grandparents opened in in 1919.
“I grew up there swearing I would never get into retail and I would never manage stores, but at the end of the day I did what I loved,” Rogers said. “I enjoyed it and I guess it just runs in the blood.”
Rogers credits his staff and customers with the long-term success of the Bedroom Barn, but he also takes a slightly different approach to retail that evolved from his distaste for gimmicks, particle board and sales, which customers won’t find any of in his store.
“People know that we’re not going to take advantage of them and that we’re there to help if they need us,” Rogers said. “Just give people a decent product at a decent price and treat them fair. It’s not rocket science.”
John’s Bedroom Barn is hosting its 25th anniversary celebration throughout the day with hotdogs and cake, plus the store will give away three in-store shopping spree prizes worth $1,000, $500 and $250.
People can drop by the store until the end of June and fill out ballots for the prize draw.
The store will also have its new mattress line on display and industry experts on hand to answer customer questions.
