Shutout of Packers worth $275K in furniture
September 12, 2006
BY MATTHEW DEFOUR Beacon News
If Brett Favre had bought a La-Z-Boy at World Furniture Mall over Labor Day weekend, it might help explain why the Hall of Fame-bound, Green Bay Packer quarterback took such a beating Sunday from the Chicago Bears.
The furniture store on Route 34 west of Plano promised that if the Bears shut out the Packers in the season opener at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Labor Day weekend shoppers would get their furniture free.
Sure enough, the Bears posted a staggering 26-0 victory, handing Favre his first career shutout and ending the Packers' 233-game streak of always putting something on the scoreboard.
Store owner Randy Gonigam sat agog Sunday evening as the Bears pulled off the unthinkable -- a feat worth about $275,000 to his customers.
Fortunately, Gonigam had purchased insurance with Odds-On Promotions, a company that specializes in prize reimbursement for such events as hole-in-one contests at golf outings or half-court shots at basketball games.
Heard No. 1 defense boast
Gonigam came up with the idea for the promotion after hearing Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher boast that the team would have the No. 1 defense in the league this year.
"You want to do something that's fun and something that people can get excited about and there's a real legitimate chance that it could happen," he said.
Gonigam said the gamble paid off, as the store did 30 percent more business compared with last year's Labor Day weekend, possibly thanks to direct mailers advertising the sale and a 30-foot inflatable football outside the store.
"It still felt awfully strange sitting there in the fourth quarter," Gonigam said. "Just knowing we would be giving back all this money to all these people."
Customers will be notified in the next week or two and will be asked to come to the store to receive their refunds.
'What are the chances?'
Yorkville resident Wayne Casper was watching the game Sunday when the furniture delivery crew coincidentally dropped off his new leather chair and sofa, kitchen table and china cabinet -- a $5,000 purchase from the previous weekend.
With the Bears up 16-0 at halftime, one of the delivery men reminded Casper about the promotion. Though he thought he had a shot at the prize, "I pretty much held my breath until 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter."
"I didn't expect it to happen," Casper said. "I mean what are the chances?"
Sugar Grove resident Kris Lodwig couldn't believe she won a bunk bed for her 9-year-old daughter until she called the store Monday morning to verify that the deal was legit.
'Huge Bears fans now'
When she purchased the furniture, she was only looking for a good deal and wasn't fazed by the special football promotion.
"Of course we thought it was a long shot," Lodwig said.
Now she plans to reinvest the $1,100 at the store to finish furnishing her daughter's bedroom, which, if plans to adopt a child from China work out, will also be home for a new member of the family.
As for football, Lodwig said she hasn't followed the Bears since rooting for the 1985 Super Bowl champions as a college student.
"I think we'll be huge Bears fans now," Lodwig said.
September 12, 2006
BY MATTHEW DEFOUR Beacon News
If Brett Favre had bought a La-Z-Boy at World Furniture Mall over Labor Day weekend, it might help explain why the Hall of Fame-bound, Green Bay Packer quarterback took such a beating Sunday from the Chicago Bears.
The furniture store on Route 34 west of Plano promised that if the Bears shut out the Packers in the season opener at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Labor Day weekend shoppers would get their furniture free.
Sure enough, the Bears posted a staggering 26-0 victory, handing Favre his first career shutout and ending the Packers' 233-game streak of always putting something on the scoreboard.
Store owner Randy Gonigam sat agog Sunday evening as the Bears pulled off the unthinkable -- a feat worth about $275,000 to his customers.
Fortunately, Gonigam had purchased insurance with Odds-On Promotions, a company that specializes in prize reimbursement for such events as hole-in-one contests at golf outings or half-court shots at basketball games.
Heard No. 1 defense boast
Gonigam came up with the idea for the promotion after hearing Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher boast that the team would have the No. 1 defense in the league this year.
"You want to do something that's fun and something that people can get excited about and there's a real legitimate chance that it could happen," he said.
Gonigam said the gamble paid off, as the store did 30 percent more business compared with last year's Labor Day weekend, possibly thanks to direct mailers advertising the sale and a 30-foot inflatable football outside the store.
"It still felt awfully strange sitting there in the fourth quarter," Gonigam said. "Just knowing we would be giving back all this money to all these people."
Customers will be notified in the next week or two and will be asked to come to the store to receive their refunds.
'What are the chances?'
Yorkville resident Wayne Casper was watching the game Sunday when the furniture delivery crew coincidentally dropped off his new leather chair and sofa, kitchen table and china cabinet -- a $5,000 purchase from the previous weekend.
With the Bears up 16-0 at halftime, one of the delivery men reminded Casper about the promotion. Though he thought he had a shot at the prize, "I pretty much held my breath until 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter."
"I didn't expect it to happen," Casper said. "I mean what are the chances?"
Sugar Grove resident Kris Lodwig couldn't believe she won a bunk bed for her 9-year-old daughter until she called the store Monday morning to verify that the deal was legit.
'Huge Bears fans now'
When she purchased the furniture, she was only looking for a good deal and wasn't fazed by the special football promotion.
"Of course we thought it was a long shot," Lodwig said.
Now she plans to reinvest the $1,100 at the store to finish furnishing her daughter's bedroom, which, if plans to adopt a child from China work out, will also be home for a new member of the family.
As for football, Lodwig said she hasn't followed the Bears since rooting for the 1985 Super Bowl champions as a college student.
"I think we'll be huge Bears fans now," Lodwig said.
