...And You Can Count on It

I don't get to be in Cleveland very often throughout the year. In fact, being home for most of this past summer was the longest amount of time that I've spent at home since after my freshman year at Wabash. At any rate, when I am at home, my brother and I typically spend most of our time between working out at FitWorks or playing video games into the early hours of the morning.

Marc Brown is the owner of Norton Furniture, a store located in downtown Cleveland which offers credit to just about everyone and even leaves out fresh baked bread for any homeless individuals who pass by. Another interesting aspect about this particular furniture store is the costumed mannequins which decorate the showroom.

Between the hours of midnight and 5 AM, Marc Brown's off-beat, homemade commercials frequently air on local television. The first time I saw one of his commercials, I honestly thought it was the freakiest commercial I had ever seen -- predominantly because of Marc Brown's raspy, wheezy voice. The audio from this particular commercial can be heard here.

After making fun of the commercial at length, my cousin's boyfriend alerted me as to why his voice sounds like that...

As it turns out, Brown was kicked in the throat by another kid as a child, injuring his vocal cords. Yet behind his peculiar presentation is an uncommonly astute merchant who's managed to become the king of the urban-furniture business.
Cleveland Scene, 1/19/05