BrandSource member donates inventory to hurricane relief after closing shop
By Janet Weyandt, YSN
In the two years Keith Willoughby owned and operated Palmetto Mattress Co., he was also growing in his life’s work: not-for-profits.
Last week, Willoughby closed Palmetto to devote his time fully to his main gig: serving as executive director of the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina. The recent roller-coaster ride of economic change hasn’t helped, either, he said.
After a big final sale, Willoughby arranged to donate all his remaining stock to hurricane relief in North Carolina.
“We’re planning to send them to the Burnsville, N.C. area,” he said. “My family and I have a strong attraction to the western North Carolina area. That’s where significant need is.”
Willoughby, along with his wife Robin and son Zechariah, started the business by buying an existing appointment-only mattress store in a great location in Camden, S.C. His inventory included Spring Air, Malouf and Beautyrest beds, and for a while it all worked out perfectly.
At the same time, Willoughby was leaving his previous job as executive pastor at a local church.
“I was going through a change with leaving the church staff,” he said. “I was 60 years old, I wasn’t ready to retire, so what am I going to do? A friend approached me about the mattress store and another friend was working with the environmental not-for-profit. I thought I’ll pursue both. Then, when both happened at the same time, well, I’ve always worked multiple jobs, so why stop now?”
Service is in Willoughby’s DNA. The non-profit offers resources, professional development and networking for educators across the state and provides no-cost science and environmental education resources to school districts.
He and his family also started a local non-profit that provides more than 300 meals in the community every Monday. In Willoughby’s first career, he spent 27 years with a non-profit working with adjudicated and at-risk kids.
“Community service is a huge part of our life,” he said. “Not just selling or working as an executive director, but volunteering in our community.”
Willoughby secured storage space in North Carolina for the mattresses, and knowing that the closure of his business is serving a greater good takes a little of the sting out. He said he hopes his idea will inspire others to think of ways to help.
“The immediate need isn’t mattresses; that’s going to come later,” he said. “First they’ve got to get stable, get their houses back, find a place to live. I want to promote relief in communities. You can take what may be a negative and make it a huge positive that others benefit from.”
YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers.
