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Norton Furniture is a Cleveland-based furniture store that is known across the Internet for its strange and unusual late night television commercials.

Norton Furniture is owned and operated by Marc Brown, who inherited business from his father in 1995. The store is located in downtown Cleveland on the corner of Payne Avenue and East 21st Street.^[1]

Advertising

Norton Furniture is widely known for its unorthodox B-Rate commercials, as they have circulated across the Internet on many viral video sites. The commercials are known for their wacky characters and low production value, as well as the spokesperson for Norton Furniture, Marc Brown, who sports a gray ponytail, glasses, and an unmistakable quiet, raspy voice somewhat like the voices of Marlon Brando and, as Homestar Runner fans note, Senor Cardgage^[2], due to physical damage to his throat when he was a child. The tagline of the commercials is "If you can't get credit in my store, you can't get credit anywhere."^[3]

Common elements include local actors along with local radio personality Sweetass Sassafrass from the 669 Radio Show, as well as mannequins (stocked by the store) to which he often delivers his spiel, and a comedic skit structure.

References

1. ^ "Midnight Hustler", Cleveland Scene, January 19, 2005.
2. ^ "Forum thread: Real life reminds me of Homestar", 2007 (posts 1, 3-4).
3. ^ "Norton Furniture is Baaack", video on website of Spike network.

See also

• WCSB
• 669 Radio Show

External links

• "Late night just right for Norton pitchman", Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 4, 2006.
• http://www.myspace.com/nortonsfurniture, which includes examples of the commercials.
• Aerial view of the store, WikiMapia.

Coordinates: 41°30′19″N 81°40′36″W / 41.50528°N 81.67667°W / 41.50528; -81.67667

References