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About Us
John Whistler
Buffalo, NY is where I was born and raised, the middle child of thirteen offspring. My family owned Whistler Tool and Die Company, a third generation manufacturing operation. At the age of fifteen, my siblings and I were all expected to start work at the tool company, and this experience was the basis of my work ethic. My very first job was counting metal castings in the shop — a dirty and repetitive job if ever there was one!
As the fourth son in the family business, I soon moved on to other ventures. In 1976 I made my entrée into the mattress business in Salt Lake City. In the course of my long career in the mattress business, I have worked the operations side of the business for two of the manufacturing giants of the industry — Sealy and Simmons. I retired from my career in manufacturing at Englander Bedding in Parkersburg (now Parkersburg Bedding.)
Upon my retirement from the manufacturing side of the business, Bob Ashburn, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Spears Mattress Company, invited me to become a dealer for Englander bedding. The opportunity to work with my old friends at the Georgia Englander factory, Terry and Ed Spears and Bob Ashburn, is very exciting to me. The specifications, materials and marketing of all their product lines are outstanding.
It has long been my belief that in order to remain a viable engaged human being, it is necessary to reinvent yourself every now and again. All the major life passages that required great risk and challenge are largely behind me: two marriages, five children, and a successful manufacturing career. Now the time has come to learn something new, to take a calculated risk with our assets, to create a business that reflects the values of myself and my wife. After a lifetime of directing large operations owned by others, the chance to use my skills crafting a family business is gratifying and stimulating.
Another wonderful addition to my life has been the birth of my first grandchild, Emily. Unlike all the other passages in life, becoming a Grandfather has been pain-free and joyful. Perhaps I'm reaping the benefit of twenty years spent parenting adolescents through the eye of the storm.
Barbara Stewart
I was raised on a dairy farm in Sistersville, WV, and this strong connection with nature has created a lifelong appreciation for Planet Earth. My first business venture was in the Natural Foods industry back in its infancy in the early 1970's. I believe that we must all be stewards of the earth and as a family we strive to be as green as possible in our personal life and business ventures.
I received my teaching degree from Glenville State College in 1990 and taught in Wood County Schools. John and I raised our five young adults, and I currently teach other parents of teens in Washington County how to cope with the challenges of the teen years.
Our decision to open a retail store grew naturally from John's expertise in mattress manufacturing and my desire to teach. We have attempted to be as green and energy-efficient as possible in the design of the store, buying carpet from a company that recycles the end product and employing energy-efficient fluorescent interior lighting.
On our Englander Gallery walls we hope to showcase the works of West Virginia and Ohio artists. The spirit of creativity that resides in all humans is what we must nurture if we have any hope of bringing peace and joy to our unique Planet.
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