Bedding Today
David Perry Bedding Editor Hi! I'm David Perry, the bedding editor for Furniture/Today. This is an online version of my Bedding Today column, which appears weekly in the pages of Furniture/Today. I invite you to take advantage of this blog format to share your comments on the topics that I tackle each week..
Comfort Solutions thinks big to launch new mattress lines
It's awards season in Hollywood, and in that spirit we present the award for best Las Vegas mattress showing to... drum roll, please... Comfort Solutions!The Willowbrook, Ill.-based producer got the jump on its competition with a Las Vegas-style introductory event on Sunday night that was impressive in its scope and reach. We are talking elaborate stagecraft, comedy, lovely ladies, movie stars (on... Read More
Comments (4)Gel boom adds excitement but also raises questions
Gel was swell in Las Vegas. The proliferation of gel-cushioned mattresses was one of the biggest developments at the market. While this was understandable, given the remarkable success Serta has enjoyed with its iComfort line of gel-infused memory foam beds and the industry's interest in "new" bedding materials, the wholesale jump into gel bedding does give me some pause.There is suddenl... Read More
Comments (18)Bedding insider-vs.-outsider debate resumes
Kingsdown CEO Eric Hinshaw recently restarted a long-running discussion in the industry about the merits of bedding insiders versus bedding outsiders.Hinshaw was commenting in a press release on Kingsdown's promotion of Frank Hood, a former Quiznos and Krispy Kreme executive, to the president's post. He succeeds Bob Hellyer, a bedding veteran who left Kingsdown after just one year in the president... Read More
Comments (11)Reverie, de Courcy add to Vegas excitement
Here are two more mattress lines for your consideration at the bedding-loaded Las Vegas Market:Reverie (WMC B-925) is introducing a new remote control for its Reverie Deluxe Adjustable Bed Base. Added features include anti-snore positions. The producer is also showing two new "concept beds" with new looks, new adjustable features, new electronic controls and new accessories.As an Apple l... Read More
Comments (4)What's new in bedding? See our Vegas preview
It's one of my biggest projects of the year, and one that deserves careful study. It is, quite literally, your guide to what's new and notable at the Las Vegas Market.I'm talking about the bedding entries on the Las Vegas product introduction charts, which start on page 26 of our 23 Jan. print issue. They outline the new mattresses and sleep accessories that will be offered by three dozen companie... Read More
Comments (9)Tempur-Pedic, Serta insights provide leadership lessons
To get some insights on where the industry is headed this year, let's consider two lessons in leadership I witnessed last fall.The first came in Duffield, Va., a remote town in the mountains that happens to be the home of a huge Tempur-Pedic factory. (Yes, I took you there in a column last month, but we need to stop in again for a quick visit.) In a conference room at the plant, Rick Anderson, pr... Read More
Comments (7)We fearlessly predict where our industry's headed in 2012
This week we put on our prophet's cap, think deeply about where the industry is headed, and fearlessly offer our predictions for 2012. Ready? Here we go:The world will end on Dec. 21. OK, this is not my original prediction, as you probably know. It's based on the idea that the Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012.Now a couple of points need to be made here. For all of their accomplishments, the Ma... Read More
Comments (15)In new year, spotlight will illuminate RSAs
Welcome to the new year! In Mattressville, this will be the year of the retail sales associate, those largely unsung heroes of showroom floors.We've got some special things planned this year to help celebrate the achievements of RSAs around the country.For the first time ever, we will give RSAs a voice at our Bedding Conference, which this year is set for June 6-8 at the Turnberry Isle Resort, the... Read More
Comments (4)Sudden death leaves lesson
Larry McKay had a great conversation with his good friend John Clark. In that wide-ranging talk, Clark said he thanked God for his family, his friends, and his new job at bedding producer Southerland. He was in a great mood, McKay recalled.And the next day John Clark, 57, a devoted family man, a friend to many, and an experienced mattress salesman, died of an apparent heart attack.Larry McKay, a s... Read More
Comments (14)Vegas deadline Dec. 30
As we head into the final weeks of the year and the holidays loom, this is a good time for me to thank you for another great year in Mattressville. With your support, we covered a lot of ground this year, tackled some important issues, and kept the mattress category in the news spotlight.And speaking of the spotlight, a big one will shine on the mattress category at the upcoming Las Vegas Market.... Read More
Comments (0)Heart of industry shines at Seena Magowitz Golf Classic
It was, once again, a mixture of hope and determination, sadness and challenge, all fused by deep bedding bonds and served up in a spectacular setting in the Valley of the Sun. The ninth edition of the Seena Magowitz Celebrity Golf Classic raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for pancreatic cancer research and brought a who's who list of bedding executives to the event once again for two da... Read More
Comments (0)Protect-A-Bed picks up speed with big new headquarters
James Bell hopped in the driver's seat of the golf cart and set off for a quick spin through the cavernous warehouse at Protect-A-Bed's new headquarters. His partner, Clive Goldin, joined me in the back seat as Bell pointed out the impressive rows of racks stacked high with Protect-A-Bed mattress and pillow protectors.As Bell zipped along a straight stretch on the far side of the warehouse, I real... Read More
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