Eliot Tatelman explains why he is retiring as the face of Jordan’s Furniture
Eliot Tatelman, the longtime face of Jordan's Furniture, is retiring from his daily role with the company.
You may not recognize the name, but Tatelman is an iconic face in New England, frequently appearing in ads for the company over the years. He has been in charge of the company since the early 1970s, when he and his brother Barry took over the family business from their grandfather.
He said he's incredibly proud of the growth over the years and confident in the future.
“When I started we had one truck," he told NBC10 Boston. "I drove the truck and I remember the day we got the second truck and I’m running around, ‘we have a fleet! We have a fleet!’ ‘cause we have two trucks! I mean I got so excited. And then today there could be 80-something trucks on the road."
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Now, Tatelman is set to pass the torch to his two sons - Josh and Michael - both of whom have served as co-CEOs for the past five years. He said the decision really started when he lost his wife of 56 years, turning his life "upside down," but also helping him realize how much his kids have taken hold.
"I'm not going to be gone. I'll still drive them crazy, and they like that, and that's ok. So you know, we try and make work fun," he said.
Tatelman said in retirement he hopes to do more of the charity work he's built up with the company.
"If you're in a position like me, do what I want to get involved in. Help others," he said.
Jordan's has a total of eight stores, with locations in every New England state but Vermont. The company's unique store experiences, including things like ropes courses inside the New Haven, Connecticut location, and promotions tied to the Boston Red Sox record, have made them stand out over the years.
