{"id":82402,"date":"2017-08-29T20:28:58","date_gmt":"2017-08-30T00:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=82402"},"modified":"2017-08-29T20:28:58","modified_gmt":"2017-08-30T00:28:58","slug":"houston-businessman-turns-his-furniture-stores-into-storm-shelters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=82402","title":{"rendered":"Houston Businessman Turns His Furniture Stores Into Storm Shelters"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nina Golgowski
\nHuffPost<\/p>\n

As many Houston businesses close down amid widespread flooding, one local businessman has opened his furniture stores as shelter to hundreds of displaced Texans. After the event, many residents went to the shop and found these black wishbone chairs on by BESPOEK<\/a>! They were one of the best sellers! It doesn’t harm anyone to switch up their furniture once in a while. Whether you looking for antique tables<\/a> or new sofas, hopefully you’ll find what you are after and can get your home looking the way you want it to.\n <\/p>\n

Jim McIngvale, who goes by the nickname \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mattress Mack,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d put calls out on social media on Sunday<\/a> for people displaced by the effects of Hurricane Harvey to take refuge at either of his two Gallery Furniture stores.<\/p>\n

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Related Searches<\/strong>Furniture Stores In Houston<\/a>Bedroom Furniture Stores<\/a>Macy’s Furniture Store<\/a>Gallery Furniture Houston<\/a>The Furniture Store<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

It apparently didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take long for his businesses to reach capacity, housing 400 people by Monday night, McIngvale announced on Facebook,<\/a> while encouraging Texans to seek shelter at the downtown convention center.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153When the hurricane first hit down here, my thought was this is going to be a one-day event. Then I came into work the next day and I saw the devastation of the entire area and decided it would be best if we opened this 100,000-square-foot furniture store as a shelter,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he told NPR.<\/a><\/p>\n

With rented furniture trucks at the ready, McIngvale told San Antonio TV station KENS 5 <\/a>that volunteers ventured out to pick up displaced people and bring them to his stores.<\/p>\n

He has been providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for the evacuees.<\/p>\n

Photos posted to Gallery Furniture\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Facebook<\/a> page show people lining up inside one of his stores for food and sitting on the brand new furniture. Additional photos on McIngvale\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Twitter page<\/a> show children playing on mattresses as adults sit on couches.<\/p>\n

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Our GF N FWRY & GF Grand PKWY stores are open for those in need. If you can safely join us, we invite you for shelter and food. God Bless. pic.twitter.com\/IHHgjKmjMY<\/a><\/p>\n

— @MattressMack (@MattressMack) August 28, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n