Mattress stores

Jan 17, 2009 7:50 pm

Driving down the main drag in town a couple of weeks ago, see a new strip mall going up, joke with the wife and kids that “maybe someone will answer this country’s imploring cry for another mattress store” and the 57th mattress store in this community will open up. 

  Out today doing the Saturday Shuffle, and SURPRISE, another flippin' mattress store is open in that center!  Somebody help me understand how so many mattress stores can be viable this fine land.   I'm about to write my congressman and ask that all future TARP funds be invested in mattress stores, Chinese restaurants and tax prep/pawn shop locations.  Maybe B of A can scoop one of those up and take some of the pressure off.
Jan 17, 2009 8:55 pm

People needed a place to put their money.

Jan 18, 2009 3:13 am

[quote=Ferris Bueller] [quote=someonewouldntexpect] People needed a place to put their money.

[/quote]



We have a winner!    [/quote]



Very good, indeed. I think I’m going to come up with a mattress store ETF. What should the ticker be?

Jan 18, 2009 5:28 am

SEX

Jan 18, 2009 5:07 pm

Nice

Jan 19, 2009 4:30 pm

This is a great thread.

Jan 20, 2009 8:00 pm

Believe it or not, the overhead is low (the store doesn’t buy the inventory), the margins are high, the employees are 100% commission, and you can open a store in any crummy little locale you want.  I am sure they have it down to a science…x number of households per location to be profitable.  That’s why Sleepy’s OWNS all it’s stores and does not franchise.  It’s REALLY cheap to get these up and running.  It’s like th polar opposite of most business concepts (restaurants, retail stores, etc.) that have high overhead, high startup costs, and lots of employees.

Jan 20, 2009 8:09 pm
B24:

Believe it or not, the overhead is low (the store doesn’t buy the inventory), the margins are high, the employees are 100% commission, and you can open a store in any crummy little locale you want.  I am sure they have it down to a science…x number of households per location to be profitable.  That’s why Sleepy’s OWNS all it’s stores and does not franchise.  It’s REALLY cheap to get these up and running.  It’s like th polar opposite of most business concepts (restaurants, retail stores, etc.) that have high overhead, high startup costs, and lots of employees.

  Wait a minute. That sounds like the EJ model!  
Jan 20, 2009 9:16 pm

I’m smelling a co-branding opportunity here!

  "Do you long for the days when you could sleep soundly knowing your investments were performing well?  Come on down to Jones Sleep Center for some Portfolio Planning Pillowtalk..."
Jan 29, 2009 7:49 pm

I used to sell mattresses and some furnature over 20 years ago.  We’d get “spiffed” for selling certain mattresses over others.  Typical spiff was $50 plus 10%-15% commission.  It was a great gig for a young guy who didnt know what he wanted to do.  I was making about 40k a year and had absolutely no stress.  One day I had someone walk in and buy 28 sets for a hotel.  I never could figure out why they bought via retail given the quantity.  All I did was walk up to them as they were standing around a certain bed and say can I help you.  “we’ll take 28  of these in queen!”  That was what we used to call a “me-take.”    

Jan 29, 2009 8:12 pm

I only shop at the lumbar-yard.

  Those that know.... know.   C
Jan 29, 2009 9:26 pm

Why, does your back hurt?

Jan 30, 2009 4:59 pm

I love this forum. I don’t know why I even read threads in other subjects anymore.