Mattress Firm, Inc., one of the nation’s leading specialty mattress retailers, announced it has signed its first multi-unit franchise development agreement in the Upper Midwest as part of an effort to accelerate the company’s extensive turnkey franchise program. Chuck Dawson, a former senior executive at Sealy, has signed a deal to develop the Milwaukee and Madison, Wis. markets with plans to open multiple stores in 2010, with the first store scheduled to open in January. This agreement will mark Mattress Firm’s entry into the state of Wisconsin, the 22nd state where the company has locations.
“For the past several years, we’ve concentrated primarily on opening new corporate-owned locations and acquisitions, while focusing on operations, training and the store experience – foundations for a great franchise concept,” said Gary Fazio, CEO of Mattress Firm. “This new agreement with Chuck is the first in which we hope will be a series of development agreements as we look to aggressively build in franchising. Our team has developed a complete turnkey package from operations to sales to store design to assist franchisees as they work to build market leadership. We have the systems, distribution and proven marketing mix to support our franchise partners and grow the Mattress Firm brand with the goal of becoming a true national retailer with locations border to border and coast to coast.”
Dawson’s background has equipped him with a tremendous amount of management experience and a deep knowledge of the bedding industry, making him an ideal fit for a Mattress Firm franchise. Dawson began his career in the industry as president/owner of Classic Mattress, a chain of specialty stores in Florida. After selling Classic Mattress in 1985, Dawson spent more than two decades at leading mattress maker Sealy in various management positions, most recently as senior vice president of national accounts before leaving to explore retail opportunities. Dawson believes this experience, coupled with the Mattress Firm operational model, will help him be successful as he takes the Mattress Firm brand into new territory.
“I am extremely excited to be partnering with Mattress Firm on this new venture, and look forward to leading the company’s plans to stimulate growth through franchising,” said Dawson. “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the Mattress Firm team as part of my work at Sealy and have a great deal of respect for the organization and their business model. I’m confident that consumers in the Milwaukee and Madison regions will respond positively to the unique shopping experience Mattress Firm stores will bring to the area.”
The design of the new stores will incorporate the standard Mattress Firm layout, which features a combination of wood flooring, ceramic tile and carpet throughout, along with artwork and natural wood fixtures accented by a warm color palette to create a comfortable, home-like look and feel. The “racetrack” floor plan allows customers to easily move throughout the store to browse and compare the different styles and brands, which are arranged by comfort level (pillowtop, plush, firm), features (memory foam, air, latex) and price. The new stores will also offer the company’s “Red Carpet” same-day delivery service along with comfort satisfaction and price guarantees.
Mattress Firm’s new approach to mattress shopping, Comfort by Color™, will also be incorporated into the new locations. Developed to help prevent the confusion that can often result from a traditional mattress shopping experience, Comfort by Color simplifies the buying process and encourages comparison shopping by assigning specific colors to different comfort levels of mattresses. The color coding system includes the full range of options, spanning Firm (Yellow), Plush (Orange), Pillow Top (Red), Contoured (Green) and Personalized (Blue), and makes it easier for consumers to choose the mattress that is right for their individual needs. Mattress Firm’s Comfort by Color system also allows consumers to compare comfort across all major brands – from Sealy® and Simmons® to specialty mattresses and bedding products from Tempur-Pedic® and Sleep to Live® – against one another.
Mattress Firm currently operates more than 500 stores in 38 markets across 21 states. With this agreement and new store opening, Mattress Firm will expand to 40 markets in 22 states.
For information on franchise opportunities, please contact franchising@mattressfirm.com.
About Mattress Firm:
Houston-based Mattress Firm (www.mattressfirm.com) is the nation’s premier specialty bedding retailer, offering a broad selection of both traditional and specialty mattresses from leading manufacturers including Simmons, Sealy, Tempur-Pedic. Founded in 1986, Mattress Firm’s purpose is to Improve Lives One Night at a Time. With more than 500 stores in 38 markets, Mattress Firm offers consumers the benefit of highly-trained, knowledgeable sales professionals, a broad product offering and competitive prices in an attractive and comfortable store environment.