1-800-Mattress links with LA chain
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 27, 2006
Los Angeles — 1-800-Mattress is expanding into Southern California with a franchise agreement with Mattress Gallery, a 57-store retailer based here.
Based in Long Island City, N.Y., 1-800-Mattress has served Southern California since 1999 via telephone and the Internet, and now adds a strong bricks-and-mortar presence.
"The Mattress Gallery franchise is a key part of our growth strategy; it gives us a strong footprint in the nation's second-largest retail market," said Napoleon Barragan, chairman and CEO of 1-800-Mattress. "Its fine reputation and market knowledge, combined with our 24/7 call center and Internet resources, makes us the leading bedding retailer in Southern California."
Mattress Gallery officials said the franchise agreement is a key element in its strategy of allowing customers to shop for bedding where, when and how they want.
"Consumer recognition of the 1-800-Mattress brand and shared values between our companies were key factors in creating this partnership," said James Ristas, president of Mattress Gallery. "By bringing 24/7 multi-channel shopping to Southern California, we've changed the way consumers shop for bedding."
Ristas said the 1-800-Mattress Internet site, www.mattress.com, is a powerful tool. "Only one company has the mattress.com name," he said.
He added that telephone and Internet shopping are particularly well suited to the Los Angeles market, where people are "all about convenience."
Joe Vicens, executive vice president of 1-800-Mattress, said the Los Angeles move adds another key market. Other cities with franchises are Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. 1-800-Mattress has company-operated showrooms in the metro New York market, San Francisco, Chicago and Maryland.
"Our franchise program now gives consumers direct access to the 1-800-Mattress brand in many of the nation's leading retail markets," Vicens said. "We are negotiating with several other leading retailers to join the franchise network."
Founded in 1999, Mattress Gallery primarily serves the Los Angeles and San Diego markets. 1-800-Mattress, known corporately as Dial-A-Mattress, had estimated 2004 sales of $100 million, and ranks No. 64 on Furniture/Today's Top 100 list.
