Need help finding good mattress stores in 28269 zip code, or near Charlotte, NC

I am looking for good mattress stores in the 28269 zip code, or in the Charlotte, NC area. I have read most all of the articles written regarding selecting mattresses, and finding good mattress stores, etc. and I am exhausted! I went to Original Mattress Factory in Concord, NC today, since it makes their own mattresses and seems to be a smaller operation than many of the larger mattress stores, and I figured it would be a good place to start. I asked them for information as to what materials are used in their mattresses, and the salesperson was a little defensive. He said he didn’t think they had that info to give out, but I could go to their factory in Charlotte and watch the process of making mattresses. I told him thanks, but I would just like to know what materials are used in the process and details on that. He said to call him next Friday, and hopefully he would have the info. I am wondering if you can tell me if this store is one that sells pretty good quality mattresses for the money, and also if you can advise where else I might look for mattresses in my area. We have a lot of mattress firm, Denver Mattress, and department stores like Macy’s, but not sure that any of these are the best places to look. I am replacing a Sterns and Foster mattress that is probably 19 years old and has served us well, but it’s time to buy a new one. I do not like memory foam mattresses - I already sleep hot and don’t need anymore heat and also do not like the idea of being surrounded in foam that molds to you. I have laid on a latex and really like it, but the type that would seem to be right for my husband and I (he is about 80 lbs heavier than I) would probably be out of our price range since I spoke with an online store that sells latex mattresses, and they suggested a spot type of mattress which is more costly due to the disparity in our weight. So, I think I will be looking mostly at a regular mattress and boxspring set with the innerspring etc. as my replacement. Thanks!

Hi sharpshopper,

Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets your criteria and the quality/value guidelines here … the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Charlotte, NC area are listed in post #2 here.

I’m guessing that the salesperson you were dealing with was relatively new or possibly uninformed because I know that OMF has spec sheets that show all the density specs of all the polyfoam and memory foam layers in their mattresses but many of their salespeople aren’t used to more educated consumers that ask for “layer by layer” specs so you may need to insist that they look them up or call someone that can provide them. There is absolutely no excuse for any of their salespeople to make you wait until next Friday.

There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

While nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

For the most part they are generally better quality/value choices than most of the larger manufacturers in the industry but I would always assess any mattress on a “mattress by mattress” basis rather than based on the name of the manufacturer because most manufacturers make some mattresses that may be well worth considering and others that may not be worth considering at all and the only way to know the difference is by knowing the specifics of all the materials and components inside it.

Phoenix

Phoenix, Thanks for all your input and information on stores in my area. I will be checking them out soon!
I appreciate all the information on this site. It is very helpful!

I would not recommend www.theorganicsleepshop.com in Pineville. I visited the store August 5th, 2016. They were far more interested in pressuring me into buying a floor model Savvyrest than to helping me find layer combinations that were comfortable for me. When I arrived at the store I wondered if I was at the right place. The store has a different name on their sign and truck. They did have a relatively small sign in their window that says “The Organic Sleep Shop”. Their business cards have the other store name and do not mention “The Organic Sleep Shop”. They had two other brands of Mattresses that had latex foam in them in addition to the Savvyrest. My overall experience was more like a shady used car dealership rather than a premium mattress store.

Hi WillyG,

Thanks for taking the time to share your comments and feedback … I appreciate it.

I’m sorry to hear that you had such a negative experience there and hopefully it was just an anomaly or the result of a salesperson that was having a bad day than it was a reflection of their usual level of customer service because they certainly carry some high quality mattresses (although for the most part they are also in more premium budget ranges as well).

Phoenix

I went to Denver Mattress Co. and tried out several mattresses, and I am wondering if anyone can comment on the Doctor’s Choice Elite Firm mattress. If anyone has had this mattress, I would appreciate your input, or if you have heard anything about the durability of the mattress, that would be helpful. Any comments on the Construction of the mattress would also be desirable.
The construction is: 1) Quilt Layers: Luxurious Knit Ticking, 1" anti-microbial super soft EF Foam, 1/2" anti-microbial 1.8lb High Density EF Foam, Inherent Rayon Fire Barrier, 2)Comfort Layers: 1" 4lb Gel/Visco Memory Foam, 1" 21lb High density Luxury plush EF Foam, 1 Flex, Net Insulator, 3)Support System: Balanced Orthopedic Sleep System: Coil Density: 750 Alternating Checkerboard Individually Wrapped Coils (Queen Size), 14.5 Guage Tempered Steel.
Thanks for any information on this mattress!

Hi sharpshopper,

While other people’s comments about the knowledge and service of a particular store or business can certainly be very helpful … I would always keep in mind that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress so I would be very cautious about about using anyone else’s suggestions, experiences or reviews on a specific mattress (either positive or negative) or review sites in general as a reliable source of information or guidance about how you will feel on the same mattress or how suitable or how durable a mattress may be for you. In many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful because a mattress that would be a perfect choice for one person or even a larger group of people in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) may be completely unsuitable for someone else to sleep on (even if they are in a similar weight range). In other words … reviews or other people’s experiences in general won’t tell you much if anything about the suitability, quality, durability, or “value” of a mattress for any particular person (see post #13 here).

There is more about the 3 most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on suitability, durability, and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

[quote]The construction is: 1) Quilt Layers: Luxurious Knit Ticking, 1" anti-microbial super soft EF Foam, 1/2" anti-microbial 1.8lb High Density EF Foam, Inherent Rayon Fire Barrier, 2)Comfort Layers: 1" 4lb Gel/Visco Memory Foam, 1" 21lb High density Luxury plush EF Foam, 1 Flex, Net Insulator, 3)Support System: Balanced Orthopedic Sleep System: Coil Density: 750 Alternating Checkerboard Individually Wrapped Coils (Queen Size), 14.5 Guage Tempered Steel.
Thanks for any information on this mattress! [/quote]

Denver Mattress is one of the manufacturers that are transparent about the materials in their mattresses and in the case of the Doctor’s Choice Elite Firm all the materials meet the minimum suggestions in the durability guidelines for those that are in a BMI range that is under about 30. Assuming that you have done some good testing on the mattress and you are confident that it’s a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP and it also compares well to your other finalists based on all the other parts of your personal value equation that are important to you, then if you are in a BMI range under 30 it would certainly be well worth considering.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thanks again for your input on the BMI indicator, which is a deciding factor in whether this mattress is a good choice for my husband and I. Since his BMI is 35 and mine is 30, I guess this mattress is not going to be good for us.

How can I know when a mattress is good in terms of the BMI profile as I look at mattresses? The sales people are not in tune with this type of indicator in mattress selection. When I refer to the disparity in my husband’s size and weight compared to mine, and I ask whether a mattress will be ok for us regarding durability, they do not seem to feel that this is an issue when determining if a mattress is a good value/fit for us. If you did not mention this aspect in regards to the Doctor’s Choice Elite Firm mattress, I would not have realized that this mattress would not be as durable because of my husband’s higher BMI. Is there an article that I may have missed that addresses this issue in terms of knowing how to figure out which mattresses will be better suited to a higher BMI?
Thanks!

Hi sharpshopper,

Since your BMI is 30 or higher there is more information in post #3 here and the posts it links to that would be helpful for those that are in higher weight ranges or have a higher BMI.

While the process of how to choose a mattress would involve the same steps that are listed in the mattress shopping tutorial … most people in higher weight ranges or that have a higher BMI will generally need or prefer firmer mattresses (firmer materials will feel softer because you will sink into them more) and materials and components that are higher quality and more durable than those that are in lower weight or BMI ranges (the materials and components in a mattress will soften and break down faster for those in higher weight ranges than they will for someone that is in a lower weight range that doesn’t compress the mattress as much). I would be particularly cautious about mattresses that use more than “about an inch or so” of memory foam that is less than about 5 lb density or polyfoam that is less than about 2 lb density … particularly in the upper layers of the mattress (which are usually the weakest link in terms of the durability and useful life of a mattress).

Yes … the information you are looking for about the durability of different mattress materials and components is in the durability guidelines that I linked in my last reply. The durability guidelines are also one of the articles that are linked in step 4 of the tutorial.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Thanks again.

I will read over the article you mentioned as I probably missed the info that you shared.

I understand what you are saying about higher BMI - it makes sense.