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A Year of Growth: My Journey in Bedding

One year ago, I wrote my first column for Sleep Savvy. In the best way, I feel as though I’ve been around for longer than that. Although I’ve been a writer for a decade, and previously covered furnishings, I was new to bedding and unsure of what was in store for me. I have been pleasantly surprised by what I’ve encountered. I’ve found an industry that is endlessly patient — there is so much to learn about finished products, components and operations — and filled with people who are warm and welcoming.

Speaking of being new to bedding, I want to extend a warm welcome to Alison Keane, who, if you’ve not yet heard, is succeeding Ryan Trainer as president of the International Sleep Products Association and Mattress Recycling Council. Check out our exclusive video interview with her online at SleepSavvyMagazine.com by heading to the More dropdown on the upper right-hand side and then clicking on Videos. 

Alison and I filmed that video together inside the Restonic showroom during Las Vegas Market. Thank you again to Laurie Tokarz, CEO of Restonic and board chair of ISPA, for the accommodations. Also in Vegas, Burt Dellinger (our newest team member and associate editor) and I spent jam-packed days touring the showrooms at World Market Center to compile our market report. In July, attendance was noticeably cooled compared with winter 2024 and summer 2023 markets but that didn’t stop companies from releasing some hot new products.

Before I traveled to Las Vegas, however, I made a pit stop in California for our latest Retail Road Trip. After landing at LAX, I hopped in a rental car and drove up the winding Pacific Coast Highway until I reached Furniture Gallery by Mattress Mike in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. When I pulled into the parking lot, I was in awe of the view, between the towering palm trees swaying softly in the wind and the breathtaking Santa Ynez mountains in the distance. It isn’t every day one gets to work in a place like that. Mattress Mike, aka Michael Gustason, has been in the bedding industry for 30 years this year. He and his son, Garret Gustason, who is the chief operating officer of the business, gave us a tour of their store, which also functions as a drop-off location for MRC. The MRC’s Bye Bye Mattress program has recycled 11 million mattresses since its inception in 2016.

Although the Gustasons and others in MRC’s network in California responsibly discard mattresses at the end of their (hopefully) long lives, other mattresses have more short-lived cycles due to comfort returns. In today’s market, consumers expect free, no-hassle returns on all sorts of products, including mattresses. Contributing writer Julie A. Palm talks to bedding retailers about how they’re responding and tips for keeping customers happy.

Stay tuned for our final Retail Road Trip and issue of 2024 in November. In the meantime, happy reading.

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