'I can't let my people drown': Houston mattress salesman turns his showroom into refuge -- again

[mahatmakanejeeves]

If this story sounds familiar, that's because this happened in 2017:

Houston's "Mattress Mack" opens his furniture stores as shelters

'I can't let my people drown': Houston mattress salesman turns his showroom into refuge — again
By Meagan Flynn / The Washington Post Sep 20, 2019 Updated 40 min ago

The floodwaters were raging again in Houston and Jim McIngvale knew it was time to dispatch the furniture trucks.

The salesman is known here as Mattress Mack. From his Gallery Furniture showroom on Houston's north side, McIngvale, 68, could see Tropical Storm Imelda wreaking familiar havoc on Thursday. There were vehicles trapped on freeways that turned into rivers. First responders were rescuing people from their own homes.

Imelda, which has killed two people and forced the evacuation of at least 1,000 other residents, brought the most catastrophic flooding to Houston and Beaumont, 85 miles west, since Hurricane Harvey in 2017. And as he did then, Mattress Mack knew what he had to do now: He opened his showroom as a shelter and sent out the furniture trucks to rescue Imelda's stranded victims.

"I'm a half capitalist and half social worker," McIngvale said in an interview Thursday night. "I can't let my people drown. It's so easy to open the doors and let them in. ... They've got pretty much all the creature comforts they need. We let them in and take care of them, just let them know that people care about them."

On Thursday, he would open his doors to about 120 people, rescued by Mack's furniture salesmen from the likes of stranded vehicles, strip-mall parking lots and sometimes while fleeing their own flooded homes. Once at Gallery Furniture, they were given warm clothing ― a Gallery Furniture sweatshirt - and food and drinks from the store's in-house restaurant. They camped out on mattresses, on sofas, on couch beds, anything with a cushion, and could watch TV on any of Mack's big screens. If they needed a shower, the store had those too, usually reserved for employees after using the gym.

Fifteen to 20 people would stay the night, McIngvale said.
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[Control-Z]

1. This article makes me smile.

Thanks for posting it.

[duforsure]

2. Mack is so compassionate and caring of others

And have met him and done business with him for many,many years. He's such a great person.

[Susan Calvin]

3. I sure like him better than Osteen.

I could do without any business person making commercials for politicians, though.
https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-opera-mobile&channel=new&espv=1&q=mattress+mack+commercial+culberson&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjc9IXIr-DkAhVJC6wKHc8vAioQ7xZ6BAgMEAE

I'm happy to report his guy lost.

[Lisa0825]

4. Yeah, I wished he hadn't done that.

It was not the first time he's taken a public political stance. I am glad that he does so much good in this area, but I wish he would vote for the greater good as well.

He was a Tea Party supporter in 2010.

[Karadeniz]

5. Tragedy can bring out the best in people!