Shawny D. ChiefSac

New Celebs & Weird Stuff

Here's a new video you probably haven't seen.  A compilation of our just some of the various TV appearances & celebs rockin' the Sac over the years...also starring all of our store Sac'rs from last year: LIVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE SAC. -- Shawny D.

Travis Pastrana has a Big Sac

As it turns out, athletes from the NBA to the X Games use the LoveSac as a place of refuge and meditation before the big game, heated match, or sick trick.  Long time fan of the Sac, Travis Pastrana invited me down to spend a little time with him (which means I get to winch him out of his foam pit) as he prepared for the X Games...."Oh, and bring my Sactionals with you."  I believe were his orders.  So I loaded up his order into my Navigator and delivered it myself, hoping to get a few Rally Racing tips out of him.  I drove to Maryland to SAC TRAVIS PASTRANA'S PAD.

So in what precious little time off I do have I end up working with foam, and fluffing....at least this time it wasn't fluffing Sacs. (and it certainly wasn't that kind of fluffing either).  Travis' foam pit, filled with 40,000 pieces of cut-foam blocks (should've been Sacs), needs to be "fluffed" after each and every time he goes in on one of his attempts so that the next time the landing area will be as fluffy as the first time.  All I have to say is this: I watched this dude wake up, throw on a T-shirt, jump on his bike, get a 30 foot run at the ramp and bust a double back flip as his warm up trick...a trick that he originated 3 years ago and hasn't been caught up with until this year, finally.  This guy is truly the best in the world at what he does.  Oh - and if you don't follow action sports, just tune in to MTV this fall for the 2nd season of his hit TV show "Nitro Circus."  Who knows, you may even just spot a Sac there too.  In the mean time, check out this little vid of this, the 2nd ever episode of SAC MY PAD...

 -- Shawny D. 

The "New" LoveSac

It is 4:20 am.  EARLY, by LoveSac new-store-opening standards.  And I don't mean "early" like "4 in the morning is way too early to get up....I mean "early" like, "Wow, its only four in the morning and we're done already!"  

Believe it or not I think we may actually be getting better at what we do.  Thanks to Doreen and everyone who worked at LoveSac HQ to get these store openings planned and shipped, as well as a HUGE thanks to Damian, Charlie, and Torin (left to right of me), as well as Alex, and even Dustin and Frank from the new staff, this Ridgedale, Minneapolis (okay: Minnetonka) store opening came off without a hitch.  Normally I see the sun come up on this last day of merchandising mayhem, but thanks mostly to an amazing crew, we wrapped at 3:20.  I'm going to actually make my flight (Brad, my travel agent gasps in amazement).  The only problem is that I have to be at the airport in 90 minutes now, and I fear that if I let myself get a little sleep, I'll wake up two days later.....so.....I blog.

Seriously though, LoveSac has had some major ups and downs as many of you know, over the past few years.  I really do feel like somehow everything is beginning to click.  I feel like we have figured out our "look" at retail.  I feel that the current team we have in place to manage the company is the best I've ever had (overall), at every level.   The retail crew is especially fun to watch. I feel like we have somehow collected over the years a rag-tag group of young people who  were all maybe 3 years shy of being ready for this job 3 years ago, but have now grown up with the Sac and somehow stayed on-board or even returned to us, and are now well-beyond-their-years-effective at managing their various responsibilities.  I mean check out this staff!!!  (RIGHT: The new LS crew, Mall of America / Ridgedale)

I feel that we have put systems in place over the last year, from ordering, to shipping, to checklists, to new vendor/supplier selection, to travel planning that is now allowing us to get new stores open on time and under budget.  They open looking hot and ready to show people the power of Sactionals - which have become half our business as of late.  Oh yeah, and we spend about 20% of what the "old" LoveSac used to spend on store buildout.  I will say that it was kind of funny to see people wander in today, as we are clearly setting up (power tools out, stuff stacked everywhere) and start shopping around and asking questions.  I really believe this mall will kill it.  We have somehow become a lean, mean, sales machine where the combination of hard work, retail savvy, patented/unique productions, and an unapologetic attitude toward just being who we are, has led us to a place where, if the U.S. economy would just cooperate, we just might become the biggest alternative furniture brand in the world.  

I know its been a decade (for me), but maybe this time, its time.  I think it just might be...and I think I mostly have great biz partners (Nancy & Ryan) to thank....along with my amazingly supportive wife, Tiffany, and baby daughter, Lucky....who are fine, by the way, with yet another trip, here to Minnesota, as they'll pick me up from JFK airport tomorrow, surfboard in the back, and we'll roll to Long Beach to get a little sun time, surf time, and family time.  Ahhhhhh....

So we're building it back up again.  24 stores now plus 2 overseas plus 30 store-in-stores in Meico/Sears.  Like a weed we just keep pushing up through the dry ground and I have a feeling (though I always have) that LoveSac WILL become the legendary brand it was meant to be.  If you are still skeptical...just wait.  It has certainly taken longer than what I imagined at 22 years old, but hey, we're still here, and looking better than ever (even if I do say so myself).  But the potential to someday be an Apple, a Mac, but in our owns pecial way.   I mean with fans like these, what could possibly go wrong!?  (CHECK OUT the video, below)...

-- Shawny D.