Crowning Achievement For Local Trio

You know that urban legend about Elvis Presley being seen in a Wal-Mart store? It’s about to come true. Three Valley entrepreneurs have come up with the Elvis Presley Home Bedding Collection, which allows fans to snuggle up every night with the King of Rock n’ Roll. And Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to put the product on its shelves. Just as show business made Elvis a household name, it also spurred the signing of the Wal-Mart deal by Ines Brigman, David Bursteen and his twin brother Alan Bursteen, partners in Legend Home Bedding of North Hollywood. Brigman and David Bursteen were contestants on Wal-Mart’s web TV series “Get on the Shelves.” The series started last month and gives up-and-coming entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete to sell their products on Walmart.com. Each week a new webisode winner is selected, and on Oct. 8 the pair was voted by viewers as winners, guaranteeing them a contract with the Bentonville, Ark. retail chain. “The bedroom is a very intimate space and we’re giving women (and men) the chance to bring Elvis home and get him on their bed,” said David Bursteen, 56, who previously partnered with his twin as a studio producer in the entertainment business. (His brother is a silent partner in the bedding company.) Brigman, 30, set her acting career aside to put her energy into the two-year-old business, which has been financed equally by the trio for less than six figures. “David and I do absolutely everything from A to Z. We don’t have any hired staff yet, but we hope we will in the future,” she said. The collection features two designs. One is a portrait of the King on a red comforter and the second is a compilation of dancing Elvis’ in black and white. The designs were created by Brigman with the help of a friend who is experienced in graphics. The bedding is made in China. Dan Loeb, president of Retail Smart Guys, a Lakeview Terrace consultancy, said that Wal-Mart’s web series is a clever marketing idea, and the entrepreneurs should prepare to make investments to ramp up production. “The thing about working with Wal-Mart is that once you get into production, with enough resources to be able to service WalMart, there is no turning back,” Loeb said. “Once you sell to Wal-Mart you are with Wal-Mart for the rest of your days.” The bedding collection, which wholesales to Wal-Mart for $49.95, includes a queen size comforter and two pillowcases and retails for $99.95. – Champaign Williams