Houston-based retailer Mattress Firm announced it is acquiring employee-owned Sleep Train Inc., with headquarters in Sacramento, California, the parent of sleep shop chains Got Sleep?, Mattress Discounters, Sleep Country USA and Sleep Train, for $425 million. Sleep Train operates 312 storefronts in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state. “This unique and transformational opportunity […]
Mattress sales up 2013-2015
ISPA report and forecast show moderate growth; now available to retailers According to the “2013 Mattress Industry Report of Sales and Trends,” published by the International Sleep Products Association, the mattress industry continued its upward trend in 2013 in unit shipments and wholesale dollar values. U.S. mattress producers shipped nearly 35.9 million units, and wholesale revenues grew […]
BedMart assists Portland’s homeless
Pacific Northwest sleep-shop chain BedMart Mattress Superstores, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon, has partnered with Tempur Sealy in the donation of 206 new Tempur-Pedic beds to a network of eight homeless shelters in the Portland area. The eight nonprofits—Central City Concern, Janus Youth Programs, Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, Luke-Dorf, Macdonald Center, New Avenues for Youth, […]
L&P’s Cornell among American Furniture Hall of Fame 2014 nominees
The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation Inc., based in High Point, North Carolina, has announced its 2014 nominees. On the list is Harry Cornell Jr., chairman emeritus of Carthage, Missouri-based mattress industry supplier Leggett & Platt, as well as five other furniture industry notables—Hershel Alpert (Alpert’s), Bernard Castro (Castro Convertibles), Donald Dreher (DMI Furniture), […]
Restonic Facebook contest salutes dad’s changing role
Just in time for Father’s Day, mattress-licensing group Restonic, with headquarters in Buffalo, New York, is hosting a dad-themed contest on its popular Facebook page, www.facebook.com/restonicbeds. Restonic friends and fans are invited to share a picture of dad and “tell us why you love him,” for a chance to win (do we know how many?) […]
$175,000 mattress honors the royal bedchamber
London-based luxury mattress manufacturer Savoir Beds has launched a limited-edition mattress retailing for $175,000 in conjunction with its sponsorship of “Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber” exhibition at Hampton Court Palace March 27 to Nov. 3. The exhibit explores the bedchamber of the 17th- and 18th-century royal court. The mattress takes more than 600 hours to […]
Pillow Talk: Measuring social media
How do you measure your social media marketing efforts? How did you measure that billboard you paid someone to put up at the local hockey arena? How did you measure your last radio spot? At a time when the average person faces more than 400 advertisements daily, the modern marketer’s ultimate challenge is making a message […]
Retailer happily loses big in Super Bowl wager
Family-owned Harkness Furniture in Tacoma, Wash., is reimbursing customers close to $70,000 after the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Prior to the game, the retailer ran a special promotion promising to refund all furniture and mattress purchases made Thursday through Sunday before the big game—if the Seahawks managed to return their opening kickoff for a […]
2014 Retail Forecast
‘This will be the year for strong inventory management, good merchandising and sensible promotions.’
ISPA expects more state-level bills in 2013
The International Sleep Products Association and the mattress industry have long supported the need for mattress recycling. As a result, last year ISPA sought a cost-effective, efficient national solution to waste problems associated with used mattresses. At the same time, the entire industry faced costly legislation in 2012 in three states that would have forced […]
2013 forecast: Bumpy road ahead
Economists don’t see relief for retail until the second half of the year BY PHILLIP M. PERRY Precarious curves before heading into a straightaway. That’s the economic forecast as retailers enter a new year. Hazardous conditions will remain at least for the first half of 2013 as consumers hold tight to their pocketbooks and commercial […]