Our History

In 1977, Fred and Gloria Hoechsmann, Employees of Cominco and Crestbrook respectively, began making waterbeds out of their basement in Kimberley BC as a hobby. Little did they know that their hobby would turn into a successful career. As word of mouth spread about waterbeds made by Fred, so did their enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit.

So when a waterbed store came up for sale in downtown Cranbrook, they decided to gamble and went into business full time. Soon The Bedroom, AKA Waterbed Fred's Fine Furniture store was a household name in the Cranbrook area.

In the mid 80's with the waterbed boom on the decline The Bedroom moved into other product categories other than just waterbeds. To make room for more living, dining, office and bedroom furniture, The Bedroom expanded the showroom floor tripling the amount of space to 7500 sq/ft. More dollars were invested in marketing and promotion as well expanding awareness to other areas all over the Kootenays.

As the business continued to grow so did the need for even more space. So once again another renovation was undertaken converting upstairs loft apartments into an additional 5000 sq/ft of one of a kind showrooms. This added a new and unique element to the store for customers enjoy. Instead of a big box style showroom, The Bedroom had become a network of rooms all with a different feel and look.

From the beginning, The Bedroom has always been committed to providing it's customers with the highest quality product at the best price. So to help accomplish this goal, in 1992, a decision was made to join a powerhouse buying group allowing independent furniture retailers from across Canada to join forces and combine their purchases. The result was more buying power and larger savings for you!

Another addition of 5000 sq/ft in November 2001 expanded the Bedroom to 18,500 square feet. This new space allowed for a huge in store La-z-boy gallery. The original brick structure of the building was salvaged creating a large archway leading you into the gallery. The design center was also upgraded with the latest technology allowing you to digitally put your choice of fabric to any frame La-z-boy carries.

In 2002, son Joey and his wife Christine moved to the Kootenays to help run the business. Joey graduated with honours in Marketing & Business from BCIT. He was the president of the BCIT Marketing Association and won the International AMA sales competition in 2002. Christine graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science degree. Joey and Christine's positive outlook and high service standards made them a valuable asset to the company.

2007 marked a milestone for The Bedroom Furniture galleries - 30 years in business. The celebration also marked the official passing of the key from Fred and Gloria to Joey and Christine. You might think The Bedroom would be tired of expanding, but in 2007 another building was acquired giving the store another 1500 sq feet.

Today, The Bedroom Furniture Galleries is 25,000 sq feet with the addition of the Urban Basement in 2017.  Here you will find the original 100-year-old boiler, an old dynamic locker and in ground safe where there surely is treasure!  Original cedar beams and rock walls showcase furniture beautifully and highlight Cranbrook heritage.  With the addition of appliances in 2017, the Bedroom has grown beyond the bedroom, but they are still your number one choice for sleep solutions.  And they still carry waterbeds!