Teletron’s move to Federal Way has already proven to be worthwhile.
In one day of a four-day grand opening on June 16, the California-based company hit nearly $500,000 in sales.
“Those people came and bought not only massage chairs, mattresses, furniture and dining sets, but small appliances, TVs, you name it,” said Sukhee Kang, executive adviser to Teletron’s founder and CEO Uy Nguyen. “They had a great time shopping.”
The grand opening for Teletron and subsequently Home&Home featured a Sunday concert with performances by 16 Vietnamese singers from Los Angeles. It also drew several city officials, including Mayor Jim Ferrell, Deputy Mayor Jeanne Burbidge, Councilwoman Susan Honda and former mayor Michael Park.
“Economic vitality is very, very important for any city, so Teletron certainly will bring not only economic vitality, but they also give back to the community,” Kang said. “That’s a great concept of Teletron.”
The electronic luxury lifestyle chain was established in 2008 and has 14 stores throughout the country, with five in the golden state.
Its most expensive, but unique, piece of merchandise is its Inada massage chair. The $9,000 chair is manufactured in Japan and is marketed to provide the highest quality of massage. Kang said the chair scans a person’s body and customizes its massage based on an individual’s condition. Teletron has carried the chair for about seven years and continues to do so because people are living longer.
“After retirement or past certain ages, you want to have healthy living,” Kang said, adding that this becomes more important as people age.
Teletron sold 60 chairs during its grand opening.
Like the massage chair, Teletron also offers high-end mattresses that range from $3,000 to $30,000. Maginy Flex from Italy are targeted to those looking for the highest quality with prime comfort.
“Just think about it: We spend a third of our daily life in our bed, so it is important to not only have a good bed, but also a bed that will provide you the highest comfort,” Kang said, noting that the range of price is dependent on the foam, comfort, firmness and other qualities of a mattress.
Teletron also offers a variety of furniture, such as couches and dining sets, as well as TVs, audio equipment and appliances.
Throughout the years, Kang said Teletron’s founder has specialized in serving the Asian community, which was one of the reasons he was attracted to Federal Way.
Approximately 10 percent of Federal Way’s residents are Korean-American, and a large Vietnamese community lives five to six miles away from the store. Kang said Nguyen knows more about the Asian-American community, and in his philosophy of retail, he’s learned that a business can go far by targeting one specific audience.
“Now, with a lot of online businesses, people can get online and order whatever they want,” Kang said, adding that a retail store requires one to pay rent and keep merchandise in stock, among other factors. “So there’s a lot of challenges today facing today’s market. He decided to focus on who’s our real audience.”
Kang said that’s not to say non-Asians cannot frequent the store, of course.
Teletron’s partnership with Home&Home is also a new venture. Home&Home, owned by H-Mart, has a focus on the Korean-American community, while Teletron has focused on selling products to Vietnamese-Americans.
“We’re glad we went into Federal Way and hope that the people, the residents living in Federal Way, will come to know more about Teletron and be able to shop at Teletron,” Kang said,
Teletron’s Federal Way location is at 31515 Pete von Reichbauer Way S., Suite 116. To view Teletron’s products, or for more information, visit teletronusa.com.
