ComforPedic Retail Tour: Good news at Cardis

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Good news from the retail trenches: The worst is over.The Cardi brothers - Nick, Ron and Pete - offered that assessment to me while we were all seated (comfortably) in the spacious, spa-like bedding department of their flagship store just outside this historic city.

The brothers are the well-known faces of Cardis Furniture, the first stop on this day of the ComforPedic Retail Tour. It was a good place to get some good news.

The Cardis take a long-range view of the economic situation. They’ve seen recessions come and go in their decades in the business. And they see the current one getting ready to go.

“We think we see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Nick Cardi. “We are looking forward to the fourth quarter.”

Cardis is staying aggressive, continuing to stress service and offering honest values, the brothers told me. Their company has probably gained market share in mattresses in this downturn, they said. Yes, there are winners, even in tough times.

RETAIL LESSONS: I’ve been somewhat surprised by the positive spirits I’ve found from the many retailers I’ve met on this trip. I know the Northeast has taken some tough hits in the downturn, but retailer after retailer has talked about the importance of staying positive, staying aggressive and keeping focused on the basics. The resilience of these retailers is impressive. Time heals all wounds … and all recessions.

GEOGRAPHY LESSONS: Providence, as you should know, is the capital of Rhode Island. But you may not know that it was one of the first cities established in the U.S., dating back to 1636. A fellow by the name of Roger Williams, an exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, named the place in honor of “God’s merciful Providence.” And the city was blessed over the years, becoming an important industrial center. It has had a number of nicknames over the years, including “Beehive of Industry,” “The Renaissance City,” and, more recently, the “Creative Capital,” according to Wikipedia, my handy source for quick history lessons.

GOOD EATS: Life on the road takes its toll, but Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar in Providence was the perfect place to unwind after a long, tiring day. Scott Smalling of ComforPedic had Poppasquash oysters from Rhode Island and Duxbury oysters from Massachusetts, pronouncing them excellent. And Butch Webster, also of ComforPedic, was impressed with the jumbo shrimp. The pumpkin-encrusted salmon filled the bill for me. Then we walked back to our hotel on a breezy night, admiring the sights in downtown Providence.

LEARNING ABOUT LOFT: It took more than a year of work, but Simmons officials said they were able to develop a new, lighter foam that maintains key performance characteristics of the NxG foam used in the ComforPedic line. The new foam “is equal or superior” in performance to much more expensive memory foams with higher foam densities, according to Simmons officials. The lighter foam weight enabled ComforPedic to significantly lower the retail prices for the ComforPedic Loft line, which retails from $999 to $1,999. Key features of the NxG foam: It dissipates heat, has quicker recovery, and provides more consistent comfort than other memory foams, according to Simmons.

COMING TOMORROW: I get to sleep in my own bed. I leave the tour in the morning, flying back home to High Point. But I’m not done writing about the ComforPedic Loft tour just yet. Look for more coverage in upcoming print issues, and online. And look for the ComforPedic Loft Showroom on Wheels at the High Point Market, where it will be parked a block away from the new Simmons showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center.