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David Perry

Kiwi Butcher’s pitch: Come fly with me .... in paradise

The voice on the other end of the phone, half a world away, sounded relaxed. Roger Butcher, one of the waterbed pioneers in the ’70s, was in paradise. “I feel like I’ve hit the lottery,” he told me.

 
He was speaking from Auckland, New Zealand, and told me he has a unique business opportunity for the right company, person or family: a chance to get a stake in his retail company, Furniture City.

First, a little background. Butcher, who admits he once was a “waterbed hippie,” says he has found the ultimate getaway — a life in New Zealand. He’s lived there for 15 years, finding a place of safety and refuge. He and his family moved there to escape growing world tensions.

“I knew then, with the way the world was going, New Zealand was the ideal, peaceful, Pacific island nation, far away from world conflict,” he said. “Now more than ever, New Zealand continues to be removed from terrorism and fear. My family has a lifestyle here I could never have dreamed of in the San Francisco Bay area.”

Butcher says at one time he had the largest waterbed store in the United States, and was among the first to move into “regular” bedding in his Comfort Zone operation, based in San Jose, Calif.

He thought he was through with furniture and bedding when he moved to New Zealand. But the lure of home furnishings is strong, and the new kiwi began consulting for Furniture City in Auckland, which has four stores and carries some well-known U.S. brands (Sealy, Beautyrest and La-Z-Boy). One thing led to another, and he now owns the company.

His dilemma: At 60, he wants to escape day-to-day responsibilities, step back a bit and explore his adopted country. He’s seeking an “active equity partner” to provide a strong succession strategy. He says his company is “growing and profitable, with an outstanding management structure. It is a huge opportunity for the right person or company.”

Butcher said his U.S. friends would be surprised by New Zealand, which “is more sophisticated than I ever imagined. It’s got some of the best coffee, wine and seafood in the world. There’s a beautiful beach about 30 minutes drive from every town, and the work ethic of the people here is amazing. They put their head down and get on with it. The staff I’ve had in New Zealand is second to none.”

You can talk to Roger by e-mailing him at roger@furniturecity.co.nz.