Hi Ceilcook,
I’m glad you found us before it was too late to change your mind 
The first place I would start is post #1 here and the information and guidelines it links to which will help you eliminate most of the worst mattress choices (Stearns & Foster being one of them) and focus on the better ones.
The most important part of any mattress purchase is that you know the quality details of every layer of a mattress so you can avoid the “weak link” of lower quality foam in the upper layers of a mattress which will soften and degrade faster than the deeper layers and components. This is the primary reason for the bad reviews. Of course from a value perspective you are also in the budget range that should be using higher quality materials (that are disclosed rather than hidden).
Some of the better options and possibilities in the Atlanta area (again making sure that you know the quality details of every layer of a mattress no matter where you buy) are in post #2 here.
Phoenix