1800Mattress.com
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mattress retail |
| Predecessor | College Furniture Discounters |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Napoleon Barragan |
| Defunct | 2021 |
| Fate | Acquired by Sleepy's; brand later absorbed into Mattress Firm |
| Headquarters | Hicksville, New York , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Luis Barragan (President and COO from 2002) |
| Products | Mattresses |
Number of employees | 350+ |
| Parent | Sleepy's (until acquisition by Mattress Firm) |
| Website | 1800mattress |
1800Mattress.com—previously known as 1-800-Mattress and Dial-A-Mattress—was a mattress retailer based in the United States with its headquarters located in Hicksville, New York. The company gained recognition for its advertising tagline "leave off the last S for savings," and focused on selling mattresses primarily through telephone orders and online platforms.
History
The company traces its origins to 1976 when Ecuadorian immigrant Napoleon Barragan founded it under the name College Furniture Discounters in Queens, New York. Drawing inspiration from a phone-based meat delivery model, Barragan initiated Dial-A-Mattress, starting with just one employee and emphasizing sales via a toll-free telephone number. To boost brand visibility, the business adopted the 1-800-Mattress name along with a memorable jingle.
Expanding swiftly across the country, 1-800-Mattress established a franchise and distributor network covering major metropolitan areas such as Boston, Philadelphia, South Florida, and New England. By 1993, the workforce had grown to 185 employees, generating $30 million in yearly revenue. Although the company encountered legal challenges related to tax fraud in 1994, it nevertheless increased its revenue to $55 million by 1995.
The launch of its e-commerce website, 1800mattress.com, occurred in 1999. In 2002, Luis Barragan, Napoleon’s son, assumed the roles of president and COO, spearheading the company’s digital advancement. By 2005, the firm had become a top telemarketing mattress retailer with sales exceeding $100 million. It operated both corporate-owned outlets and franchises across various states, supported by hundreds of distribution centers and showroom locations.
A rebranding effort in 2007 to 1800mattress.com underscored the company’s shift toward online retailing. At that point, it managed more than 100 brick-and-mortar stores in prominent markets including New York and California. Expansion plans included opening an additional 40 stores around Washington, D.C., as well as extending business hours to operate around the clock at select Manhattan sites.
Nevertheless, by 2009 annual sales had dropped below $100 million from $170 million just two years prior. Confronted with creditor pressure, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and consented to acquisition by competitor Sleepy's. At the time of purchase, it employed over 350 individuals across upwards of 100 locations nationwide. Sleepy's acquired its intellectual property rights for $25 million.
In 2015, Mattress Firm purchased Sleepy's for $780 million. Following this transaction, Sleepy's retail outlets were rebranded under the Mattress Firm name. The 1800Mattress.com website remained operational briefly before redirecting visitors to Mattress Firm’s official site.
This history illustrates the company’s progression from a local startup into a major mattress retailer within the US market through strategic leadership decisions, embracing e-commerce channels, and ultimately merging into a larger industry competitor.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Mattress retailers of the United States
- Telephone numbers in the United States
- Direct sales companies
- American companies established in 1976
- Retail companies established in 1976
- Retail companies disestablished in 2021
- 1976 establishments in New York (state)
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment