No financial interest yada yada. ...bill in corvallis ...oregon
LEBANON ...oregon - Patrick Juell makes no bones about the fact that at $400
his Oregon Bedroll is the most expensive brand on the market.
And it can take up to three months from the time one is ordered until it is
delivered.
Cash up front.
But there's a waiting list and it's growing.
"Our motorcycle bedrolls are designed to be around in the attic long after
grampa's riding days are over," Juell said. "What makes our bedrolls
expensive is that we use only the finest materials, whether it's thread,
cloth, or zippers. Price be damned."
Juell spent more than 20 years developing video marketing products for
Hewlett-Packard - until he took a 35-day solo motorcycle ride in Mexico,
even though he doesn't speak Spanish.
"I kept thinking how nice it would be to have a high-quality bedroll," Juell
said. "I couldn't get it out of my head."
Juell, who at one time owned 14 motorcycles, believes he is only beginning
to scratch the surface in terms of sales potential.
"There are nine million active Harley-Davidson guys in North America," Juell
said. "That doesn't count people who ride other brands and there are many of
them. Plus, there are military applications."
When it comes to selection, customers have only two choices - do they want
the bedroll cover in tan or black - because there is only one size
available. It is constructed to fit around a large Thermarest self-inflating
mattress.
So far, sales have been especially good in Florida and Alberta, Canada,
Juell said.
Until recently, Oregon Bedroll operated out of Juell's home in Corvallis. He
recently moved the business and his living quarters into a 4,000-square-foot
building at 630 Main St. in Lebanon, where two contract workers are turning
out some lower-priced bedrolls.
"I'm being proactive because I know someone is going to try to knock off our
bedroll," Juell said. "So, we're going to build them ourselves."
The top-end bedrolls are constructed by prisoners at the Eastern Oregon
Correctional Institution in Pendleton, Juell said.
"The prisoners take a lot of pride in being able to work on our products and
they do a great job," Juell said. "I knew I didn't want to be in the
manufacturing business and I knew how successful they were with their Prison
Blues line of jeans. I looked at places in California and Washington before
working out a contract with the guys in Pendleton. They actually helped me
finish up my prototype."
Juell places orders of 200 units at a time.
The Original Bedroll uses marine cotton duck material for its outer shell,
the same material as used in ship sails.
A more moderately priced bedroll - about $190 - incorporates a marine canvas
for its outer shell, and the least expensive model is covered in cordura.
"I am absolutely committed to making this work," Juell said, "even if I have
to sleep in my car."
To learn more about Oregon Bedroll, visit www. oregonbedroll.com
or call 541-754-2443.
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