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Bernard Castro
Bernard Castro (August 11, 1904 – August 24, 1991) was the inventor of the modern convertible couch. Born in Sicily, Castro emigrated to the U.S. in 1919. He never finished high school but went to work as an upholsterer’s apprentice. In 1931 with $400 in capital he opened his first store, which eventually became a chain. At his death in 1991, he had sold over 5 million of his convertible sofas through 48 retail showrooms in 12 states, becoming a multimillionaire in the process. Castro married Theresa Barabas on Valentine’s Day 1942. Their two children were Bernard, Jr. and Bernadette. Bernadette became locally famous in the New York area as the company’s official four-year-old spokesperson. Theresa died at 85 in March 2002. Castro Convertibles was acquired in 1993 by Krause Furniture. Bernard was involved with every aspect of the product’s development, production and sale. Bernard brought the sofa bed into the living room, formerly that category of product was not though ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Couch
A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, or chesterfield, is a cushioned item of furniture for seating multiple people (although it is not uncommon for a single person to use a couch alone). It is commonly found in the form of a bench with upholstered armrests and is often fitted with springs and tailored cushion and pillows. Although a couch is used primarily for seating, it may be used for sleeping. In homes, couches are normally put in the family room, living room, den, or lounge. They are sometimes also found in non-residential settings such as hotels, lobbies of commercial offices, waiting rooms, and bars. Couches can also vary in size, color, and design. Etymology The term ''couch'' originally denoted an item of furniture for lying or sleeping on. ''Couch'' is predominantly used in North America, Australia, South Africa, and Ireland, whereas the terms ''sofa'' and ''settee'' ( U and non-U) are most commonly used in the United Kingdom and India. The word ''couch'' origi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
