"Mattress" stores (Chicago: crime, buy, closing)

[rialtoma]

Is it just me or are there are too many mattress stores in Chicago?

[heavymind]

I think it's national. There was another thread on this recently, not sure which category.

I'm in an out of the way rural area, and the nearest bigger city (50K population) has an inordinate amount of mattress stores - I call it Mattress Alley. Is there really that much of a market for mattresses? Something most people might buy once every 5-10 years or so. They always have sign spinners or garish signage advertising a "clearance blowout" or other BS.

I'm suspicious as well.

[ChiGuy2.5]

A buddy and I always said they were just a money laundering front for some crime families or something.

You aren't alone in wondering how there could be that much demand. I will note that their margins are extremely high. Mattress firm's profit margin is around 60%.

I do wonder if the out of a box mattress options are going to start revolutionizing the industry. I wouldn't be surprised if mattress stores start closing like crazy once the boomer generation ages. We have an out of the box mattress and it's wonderful, at probably half the cost of one from a store.

[rjs54321]

Back in the day, one of the top money laundering stores were......wait for it.........the dry cleaners! The mob owned or controlled many storefronts and a few large processing facilities around town.

[heavymind]

Originally Posted by rjs54321

Back in the day, one of the top money laundering stores were......wait for it.........the dry cleaners! The mob owned or controlled many storefronts and a few large processing facilities around town.

Breaking Bad?

I always thought it was flower shops. The old stakeout where undercovers witness a bunch of people going in but never coming out with flowers. Mattress stores must be the new dry cleaner/flower shop.

[DamenVChicago]

Originally Posted by rialtoma

Is it just me or are there are too many mattress stores in Chicago?

Mattress stores, Dentists, money transfer/ currency exchange stores, and Dunkin's. Way too f**ing many of all of those in Chicago, it's actually absurd. I'm highly curious as to why that is... there is not this same level of prominence in say, NYC or LA. It's absolutely bizarre.

Chicago needs more corner store/bodega type places and less of the above places.

[DamenVChicago]

Originally Posted by heavymind

I think it's national. There was another thread on this recently, not sure which category.

I'm in an out of the way rural area, and the nearest bigger city (50K population) has an inordinate amount of mattress stores - I call it Mattress Alley. Is there really that much of a market for mattresses? Something most people might buy once every 5-10 years or so. They always have sign spinners or garish signage advertising a "clearance blowout" or other BS.

I'm suspicious as well.

Every time I've ever been to one it's always completely empty; one worker just sitting there. I suppose they don't constantly need people going in and buying mattresses that often since each purchase is in the hundreds to thousands of dollars... but it's still odd. They also seem to rebrand a lot.