Photo credit: Warren Mell
Family-owned Harkness Furniture in Tacoma, Wash., is happily reimbursing close to $70,000 in purchases this week, after the Seattle Seahawks won the Superbowl. Prior to the game, the retailer ran a special promotion promising to refund all furniture and mattress purchases made Thursday through Sunday–if the Seahawks managed to return their opening kickoff for a touchdown. They did just that in the second half when Seahawk wide receiver Percy Harvin ran 87 yards for a touchdown.
“A lot of Harkness customers are enjoying their new recliner or mattress set even more than they thought they would–everyone loves free!” said owner Dave Harkness. “We’ve been excited for the Hawks since day one, so we were looking for a way to celebrate their success this year and their trip to the Super Bowl, as well as recognizing the ‘12th Man‘(Seahawks fans). It’s been a lot of fun!”
Harkness also ran a storewide “12 Sale” event with an extra 12% off sale prices, 12 months interest-free financing and a $99 delivery fee reduced to $12.
“We expect to be pretty busy this week contacting customers with the good news,” Harkness said.
He’s been calling customers personally to congratulate them on their good fortune and make arrangements for reimbursement.
Harkness Furniture was not the only retailer to lose a Super Bowl bet, big time. Gallery Furniture in Houston will shell out $7 million, after company principal Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale promised refunds to customers who spent $6,000 or more in the two weeks before the game, if the Denver Broncos lost.
