When longtime Phoenix Suns fan Nasr Owaynat saw the team kept progressing in the playoffs, he decided to create a special three-week promotion at his furniture store to celebrate their success.
Owaynat, the owner of Best Buy Furniture and Mattress in Mesa, announced last month that if the Suns win the NBA Finals, he would give a refund to every customer that purchased furniture from that point on.
Customers from Tucson, Peoria, Apache Junction, Sierra Vista have all made the journey to his store to buy furniture in hopes of getting money back through the promotion.
The decision to go all-in happened one night over a basketball game with his brother.
“My brother is from Brooklyn and he thought that the Brooklyn Nets were going to win. But I decided to go with the Suns because of the whole vibe. It’s exciting and this is the first time Chris Paul is headed to the finals,” he said.
But Owaynat’s devotion to basketball began way before that fateful basketball game, in the ‘90s to be exact. A Chicago native, he is originally a Chicago Bulls fan.
“I am pretty sure we all remember when the Chicago Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns in 1993,” he said.
Though he will always be a Bulls fan, this promotion was personal.
The promotion was a way to give back to a community that has been great to him and his family “since day one.” His wife is a teacher in Tempe and his kids go to school in the area.
It just made sense.
“I knew this promotion was gonna bring me more attention, but it’s really worth it. We got new customers and made a lot of new friends. We get to give back and celebrate something fun,” he said.
Though Game 1 of the NBA Finals kicks off at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Owaynat already feels like the Phoenix Suns won.
“It’s a big deal for the city of Phoenix, especially after the last couple of years we have been through. Nobody even remembers last year’s NBA Finals. But this year was different for fans, we’re back out and we’re at the games. We are actually able to enjoy it,” he said.
But don’t go rushing in now. As his sales under the promotion hit about $100,000, Owaynat decided to cut it off.
“I think it was about three weeks from when it was announced and until they made it to finals. I would keep doing it, but at this point we have already accumulated a high number,” he said. “We’re not millionaires over here.”
Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at [email protected] or on Twitter @amarisencinas.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
