Barton Brings Deep Consumer Experience to Leading Furniture Retailer
MANCHESTER, Conn. – October 13, 2020 – Bob’s Discount Furniture today announced that Bill Barton has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Barton will succeed Ted English, who has been serving as Interim CEO since June, effective November 3, 2020. Mr. English will continue in his role as Executive Chairman and will remain actively involved with the Company.
Bob’s Discount Furniture is one of the largest and fastest growing furniture retailers in the country, providing a wide variety of high-quality furniture, mattresses, and home accents at attractive prices. Since 2015, Bob’s Discount Furniture has more than doubled its store count, from approximately 60 locations to 135.
Barton brings more than three decades of experience developing and leading high-growth businesses to his new role at Bob’s Discount Furniture. Most recently, he spent 11 years as CEO of California Closets, the category leader in home organization solutions and a unit of FirstService Brands, which is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation. During his tenure, Barton worked with the leadership team to drive sustained growth by introducing new products and materials, opening the company’s first two U.S. manufacturing plants, launching its e-commerce platform, and creating collaborations with major lifestyle brands including Marquee Brands and Martha Stewart.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to lead Bob’s Discount Furniture and build on the Company’s outstanding reputation for delivering great values in furniture and mattresses every day,” said Barton. “The team at Bob’s has built an incredible business and driven a remarkable growth story. I am honored and humbled to join as Bob’s next CEO and to work together with the team to realize Bob’s potential as a leader in omnichannel furniture retail.”
“Bill is an exceptional and customer-centric leader with deep retail and home goods experience. He is the ideal person to work with our talented team to lead Bob’s Discount Furniture through its next phase of growth,” said English. “Our business has experienced tremendous growth since we reopened our stores with a heavy focus on safety for our customers and our associates. We expect this momentum to continue as we head into the holiday season and plan for 2021 and beyond.”
Bob’s Discount Furniture continues to expand across the country, opening 15 new stores in 2020, including most recently in California, Arizona and Nevada. The Company has implemented Bob’s Rules across its stores, which focus on three areas — cleanliness, a healthy environment and safety. The Company has also invested heavily in its e-commerce platform to serve customers in ways they prefer to shop.
