Robert Toll
Robert Toll
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Robert E. Toll was an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on October 23, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Passed away on June 28, 2012.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American. His profession was a businessman and an entrepreneur, primarily known for his involvement in the home furnishings industry.
Early Life and Background
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Robert Toll was born into a family of modest means but showed entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. His father, Arthur Toll, owned a small furniture store in Philadelphia, where Robert would often work during summer breaks. These experiences instilled in him a passion for business and customer service.
Toll attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, graduating with a degree in economics. After college, he worked briefly at his family's furniture store before venturing out on his own to start his first business venture.
Major Accomplishments
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In 1956, Robert Toll founded Bob's Discount Furniture, which would become the foundation for his future success. Under his leadership, Bob's Discount Furniture expanded rapidly across the Northeast and eventually became a national brand. In addition to building a successful business empire, Toll was also a pioneer in the home furnishings industry, introducing innovative approaches to retailing.
Notable Works or Actions
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Toll's entrepreneurial spirit led him to explore various sectors within the home furnishings industry. He invested in other businesses and developed strategic partnerships that further solidified his position as a leading figure in the industry.
One of Toll's notable achievements was his role in transforming Home Depot, a company he helped cofound with Bernie Marcus, into one of the largest home improvement retailers globally. His vision for Home Depot's growth and expansion played a significant role in shaping the modern retail landscape.
Impact and Legacy
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Robert Toll's influence on the home furnishings industry cannot be overstated. He revolutionized the way people shop for furniture and household items by introducing low prices, wide selections, and innovative marketing strategies. His success inspired numerous entrepreneurs to follow in his footsteps, contributing significantly to the growth of the retail sector.
Toll's philanthropic efforts also left a lasting impact on his community. Throughout his life, he supported various charitable organizations, primarily focusing on education and healthcare initiatives.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Robert Toll is remembered as a shrewd businessman, an innovative entrepreneur, and a devoted philanthropist. His legacy extends beyond the success of his business ventures; he also leaves behind a lasting impact on the retail industry and the communities he touched through his charitable work.
Quotations from Robert Toll are often cited for their insight into entrepreneurship, leadership, and community involvement. His words serve as a testament to his dedication to excellence and his commitment to making a positive difference in the world.
Quotes by Robert Toll
All of a sudden, the ads in the paper show special mortgage deals, special incentives. That's an absolute indicator that the market has softened.
In 2005, demand for new homes in many markets was propelled to unsustainable levels by speculative buying. We are now on the other side of that slope. Speculative demand has ceased and speculators are now putting their homes back on the market.
Considering that we began this fiscal year impacted by a national recession and the tragedies of Sept. 11, fiscal 2002 has certainly exceeded our expectations.,
Demand at our communities, which began to soften in early September, now appears to be improving, although demand pressure from speculators has certainly passed.
Speculative demand has ceased, and speculators are now putting their homes back on the market.
The shortage of selling communities, coupled with some softening of demand in a number of markets, negatively impacted our contract results. It appears we may be entering a period of more moderate home price increases, more typical of the past decade than the past two years.
What you see is the bureaucracy doing the bidding of the representatives, which are doing the bidding of the electorate,
Overcoming tight labor markets in many regions and the hurricanes' impact in the southeast, we surpassed our expectations for fourth quarter home deliveries. We produced over $2bn in revenues this quarter, which exceeded our entire year's production just five years ago.
Last time I saw 6 percent was 1966, except for the last couple of years. If rates go to 7.5 percent, we'll take it. We can still do a whole lot of business.