Meet our key people

Ed Boycott

Founder of Edward’s Headboards, Edward has been married to his wife and business partner Rose for fifty-seven years.  They have two children and two beautiful granddaughters.

His passion for making custom furniture and headboards began when his uncle asked him to work as a sales rep for upholstery fabric and supplies to supply products to interior designers and upholsterers. 

After taking a correspondence course in upholstery, he opened Boycott’s Furniture in 1971 In Windsor, ON, becoming a local staple until retiring and selling the building in 2006. 

As Ed will tell you, “once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur,” and he has continued staying busy with the things he loves–making custom hand-crafted headboards. Edward’s Headboards continues Boycott’s Furniture’s tradition of offering stylish and  comfortable products at reasonable prices

Edward has been a Rotarian since 1997 and knows of the great work Rotary does worldwide and has pledged to donate a percentage of the profits to the Rotary Foundation.

A noted supporter of his employees, Edward plans on Edward’s Headboards becoming an employee-owned business and will be turning ownership over to his employees when he feels they are ready to take over.

Mohammad Atta Arafa

Our lead upholsterer Mohammad is 36 years old, and is married with three young sons. He emigrated to Canada from war-torn Syria.

In 2002 he started working as a sewer, becoming proficient in draperies. After compulsory military service, he worked in a family sewing business.

He got engaged in 2011 and built a house. On his wedding day he awoke to air strikes and fled town. His house was destroyed and he had no money for repairs or food. Telling his fiance's father that he could not yet marry his daughter, he borrowed money for plane fare to Libya to work as an upholsterer. After paying for his parents to join him, the bombing increased in Syria and he began sending money to family for food.

Fortunately, his fiancé was safe in Damascus. After many attempts, he got her a visa and they married in Lebanon, where he began manufacturing furniture. Sadly, in 2014 his brother was killed in an air strike leaving behind a wife and three young children. Thankfully, In 2017 the UN commissioner granted him access to Canada. Mohammad’s experience, expertise and precise workmanship make him a huge asset to Edward’s Headboards.