Golden Dreams Mattress brings a spalike atmosphere to bedding.
Where would you expect a massage and a glass of champagne under low lights while tranquil music plays? If you guessed a spa, you’d be right. Usually. But this is the unique welcome at Golden Dreams Mattress, owned by bedding industry veteran Nate Cangemi.
A certified sleep science coach, Cangemi is also the owner of Nice Dreams Sales & Consulting, which has been active since 2018. His consulting business helps develop and facilitate supply partnerships between U.S. mattress manufacturers and international suppliers of components such as latex, steel coils, springs and ticking. “I’ve worked with every major brand in the country at one point or another, helping them source,” Cangemi says.
He also previously held sales positions at Carpenter Co., FXI and Muller Textiles USA. With someone who knows the ins and outs of bedding so well, it makes sense that Cangemi would venture into the retail side. His store, Golden Dreams Mattress, which was six years in the making, is located in Carlsbad, California, a city just 35 minutes north of San Diego in Southern California. Cangemi chose this site because — despite a population of 140,000 people — Carlsbad did not have a single mattress store.
In addition to choosing a unique location, Cangemi is eschewing traditional bedding retail models in both aesthetics and approach. The result? An appointment-only bedding store that more closely resembles a wellness center. It’s fitting — one could argue that all mattress stores are a type of wellness center, since sleep is an often-overlooked aspect of health. “At Golden Dreams, we believe that a mattress is more closely related to a medical device than it is to furniture,” he says.
The Appointment-Only Retail Experience: Massage, Champagne, and Comfort
The first thing one notices when entering Golden Dreams Mattress is the lighting. Rather than harsh fluorescents turned up to their full wattage, overhead lighting is dimmed and curtains over the windows block the bright California sunshine. Guests are encouraged to take off their shoes and select complimentary socks and slippers from a basket near the entryway. (They are for the customers to keep.) The next step isn’t rest-testing beds, but instead, sitting down in zero-gravity massage chairs for an eight-minute massage. (Shoppers are free to decline, of course, but Cangemi says that has only happened once.)
“The whole idea behind this massage chair is just to help you relax, because when you come in the middle of the day, your body is nowhere close to what it feels like at night,” he says. “Your circadian rhythm is telling your body to go to sleep at night. During the day, your cortisol is high, your anxiety is probably a little bit high and your muscles are tense. This just gives us a fighting chance to relax you.”
While shoppers enjoy the massage, Cangemi offers complimentary beverages from a fully stocked bar. There’s Moet champagne, spirits and also nonalcoholic options like Athletic Brewing Co. beer, water, sodas and sparkling waters.
“The first thing we emphasize is that we want to help the customer get in the right frame of mind to make this decision because it’s a monumental decision,” Cangemi says. “None of our mattresses are cheap. We don’t have any value categories. So, a person who comes to our store is a person who wants to be educated, wants to be empowered and is looking to invest in sleep.”
After the massage, Cangemi fits visitors with a pillow. Then it is finally time to rest-test beds. Properly, Cangemi urges. “No CPR — that’s not how you buy a mattress,” he jokes about people who just press down on a mattress with their hands instead of lying down. He encourages guests to lie down on the beds and gives them their space; he retreats to his desk in the corner for several minutes to avoid hovering over people.
“This is part of the reason why we are committed to staying appointment-only because you would not be this comfortable if there were other people walking in,” Cangemi adds.
He also makes sure to tell customers that when they enter the space, Golden Dreams Mattress is their personal showroom for the next 90 minutes. This creates a powerful sense of connection thanks to an increased sense of privacy and exclusivity.
Display Strategies: The Rule of Three and High-End Curated Merchandising
Merchandising at Golden Dreams Mattress is based on what Cangemi refers to as the rule of three, pioneered by Megan Anderson, who is also known as “Mattress Meg,” the director of merchandising at Mattress Firm. “Basically, if you’re going to show anything, you show three of them, because that means you’re committed to the category and it makes it easy for the customers to understand.”
Currently, Golden Dreams Mattress carries Aireloom, Avocado, BedTech, Custom Comfort Mattress, European Sleep Works, Helix, Posh + Lavish and Technogel mattresses. Price points in queen sizes range from $3,000 to $22,000. For accessories, the store carries sheets from Purecare and Oxygen pillows from European Sleep Works.
In addition to the merchandise, art and pottery by local artists contributes to the homey feel of the space. Although the pieces double as store decor, most are for sale. Those who want to take something home with them simply scan a nearby tag with a QR code to Venmo the artists. Cangemi doesn’t profit from the sales. He is simply supporting the artists’ work and giving guests a chance to purchase one-of-a-kind pieces.
Marketing the Experience: Local Expert Status, SEO, and Social Media
With Carlsbad’s community feel, Cangemi chose to advertise Golden Dreams Mattress in La Costa Neighbors, a local magazine. “It’s a really interesting business model,” Cangemi says. Rather than paying to place traditional advertisements, Cangemi is the magazine’s local sleep expert and writes monthly articles for the magazine. As part of the package, Cangemi was also profiled in one of the magazine’s print issues and promoted on the publication’s social media pages around the time of his store opening.
Cangemi is also “very active” on social media. He often runs paid ads, mostly on Meta (the Menlo Park, California-based technology company that is the owner of Facebook and Instagram). Cangemi also uses SEO to drive traffic to his website.
Enhancing Value: White-Glove Service and VIP E-Commerce Shopping Credits
When shoppers purchase a mattress from Golden Dreams, they get more than a bed. Cangemi offers white-glove delivery on their order, free removal of their old mattress, two complimentary pillows and a premium sheet set. But it doesn’t end there. “All purchases at Golden Dreams Mattress include a shopping credit for a VIP shopping site,” Cangemi says.
“I’m not trying to change the world but I do want to do something different in retail. I hope a year or two from now, there are people saying, ‘I want to try that.’”
The online shopping marketplace, viewable at VIP.GoldenDreamsMattress.com, sells home furnishings from outdoor to bedroom to decor, including pillows and lighting. For those who want to browse the site while still at Golden Dreams, Cangemi has a sofa set up with a large touchscreen for easy shopping. Those who need a bit longer to make up their mind can also shop from home.
“I’m not trying to change the world, but I do want to do something different in retail,” Cangemi says. “I hope a year or two from now, there are some people who say, ‘I want to try that.’”
For tips from Nate Cangemi, visit us @sleepsavvymagazine.
