2010

Luge Athlete Has Roots In Michigan

Many people in the Battle Creek area have seen Jeff Scheuer before.  He was featured in some of the local Mattress Mart commercials along with his brother and co-owner of the store, Trent Scheuer.  For one particular commercial, Jeff rode down a hill on a mattress while decked in a luge outfit and helmet.  It's fair to say it wasn't the type of speed Jeff was used to, as the one-time luge athlete had spent time training with and coaching some of the best lugers in the world.

"I was a luge athlete back in the day, from '88 to '93," Scheuer said. "I suffered a series of injuries and it took me out of the development pipeline."  Scheuer did make the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway as the strength and conditioning and start coach for Team U.S.A. There, he worked with Muskegon's Mark Grimmette.  Grimmette, a five-time Olympic doubles luger, carried the American flag during the opening ceremonies.  "He is totally representative of what an American amateur athletes is," Scheuer said. "Even though it's an individual sport, he puts the team first. Just very proud of him, proud to call him a friend. Couldn't be happier for a nicer guy."

Scheuer and Grimmette did much of their luge training up at the Muskegon State Park, which has one of the four luge tracks that exist in the in the United States. It is also considered the most publicly accessible track.

Scheuer said he said he will take in the Vancouver Games like most Americans -- through television and internet.  "I keep in contact with a few of the athletes," Scheuer said, "But I try not to bother them during the games. I know you get pulled in a million different directions."

Portions of the previous article were taken from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

2009

Man’s Job Is No Snooze

Mattress Store Manager Specializes In Sleep

December 1, 2009 - Kevin Fleckenstein is an expert at kicking back and taking a rest.  At least, that's what it looks like.

When the Mattress Mart manager goes into someone's house and stretches out on a stranger's bed, he's actually working.  He's busy testing the mattress and trying to diagnose the cause of the customer's complaint.  Fleckenstein has been with Mattress Mart for 12 years and manages the company's three locations: Kalamazoo, Portage and Battle Creek.  He talked Tuesday at the Battle Creek location about being in other people's personal space, quirky customers and being on TV.

How did you get started here?

"I had been working at Meijer in loss prevention, busting shoplifters.  And then I started working here for Trent (Scheuer).  Basically, they needed somebody to wash their windows.  I started at Mattress Mart cleaning windows at all three stores."

What do you like about your job?

"It's a family-owned store and I'm friends with the family.  I like the part of just being close to your workers and everybody you work with.  We're involved in the community.  We currently have a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.  We do Toys For Tots.

I've heard you'll go into customer's homes to test their mattresses.

“I’ve been trained by all the manufacturers in how to properly inspect a mattress.  I go into your house and look at your mattress and try to determine what’s wrong with it, from the bedspring to the bed frame to the mattress.”

How can you tell if something's wrong with it?

“I lie on it.  I have a measuring device I place across the mattress and measure the depression, depending on what the problem is.”

Has anything unexpected ever happened when you were testing a mattress?

“Just lying on somebody’s bed.  Your bedroom’s an intimate place to have a total stranger come in and lie on your bed while you’re standing there watching them.  That’s pretty weird.   I’ve seen mattresses that people have attempted to shove up stairs, where it’s just completely ballooned up.  They called me and asked me if there was something wrong with their bed.  Somehow, upon folding it in half and shoving it up the stairs, it developed a three- to four-foot bulge.”

How do people typically react when you come into their homes?

“People are a little uncertain of what I’m doing.  Sleep is a really big thing.  If you’re not sleeping well, you’re not in a good mood.  I’m usually the person you’re not in a good mood with.  When I come up to your house, I always try to be friendly and cheerful and try to figure out exactly what your concerns are.”

What did your training consist of?

“Checking the box springs, making sure everything’s flat and level.  Looking at the different types of spring systems, types of cushioning involved from the different foams.  Learning how to build a mattress, from the springs on up.  I went to the factories in Indiana and Illinois.”

I take it your mattress at home is top of the line.

“Yeah.  I have a very nice mattress.”

What are some of the most common complaints from people when they come in, and what are people looking for?

“Their back hurts.  Just generally not sleeping well at night.  We sell a lot of guest bedroom beds. College students, since we have a store next to Western’s (Western Michigan University) campus.  There’s three types of Mattresses mattresses: foam, air and spring.  Most mattresses are spring mattresses.  range in price range for a queen set from $499 to $899.  You could certainly spend up to $2,500 on a bed.”

Does that happen very often?

“Yeah.  People will spend a lot of money on a mattress.”

Is it something people don't think about until it becomes a problem?

“Exactly.  People will wait until a spring’s popping through their mattress before they think about buying a new one.”

Mattress Mart has a lot of television commercials. Have you been in any of them?

“I have been.  Before they had children and dogs, I was in one of them.  I wore the slippers and pushed a bed out.  They talked about it, said ‘Get it out of here,’ and I pushed it back and pushed another one in.  We shoot all the commercials here.”

What's challenging about your job?

“People come in here and everybody says the last thing they want to shop for is a mattress.  It’s the most difficult purchase and no one knows exactly what they want.  Trying to find the right bed for a customer is probably the most challenging because they don’t know what they want.  We get customers that come in four to five times.  I’ve had customers bring their own pillows in with them.  I’ve customers bring their own sheets in.  They would not buy the bed unless the sheet fit on the bed.  I’ve had people come in and lie there for a couple hours and other customers would come in, and it was obvious the other customers wanted to lie on that bed.  The guy never moved.  That’s how serious they were about picking out a bed.”

This article appeared in the Battle Creek Enquirer on December 1, 2009.

2007

Mattress Mart Wins Sealy Sales Excellence Award

November 21, 2007 - The Sealy Mattress Company recently presented Mattress Mart with their Sealy Sales Excellence Award in recognition of outstanding sales and service.

“We are pleased to accept this prestigious award from Sealy,” stated Trent Scheuer, owner of Mattress Mart.  “We work hard to provide superior customer service and product knowledge to our customers and it shows in our superior levels of sales and customer feedback.  We are proud that Sealy has again recognized us with this award.”

Mattress Mart speaks at sleep lab seminar

July 11, 2007 - Trent and Jeff Scheuer of Mattress Mart were guest lecturers tonight at a meeting organized by the Battle Creek Health System Sleep Lab.  They spoke about how to select a mattress and how a good mattress affects one’s health and quality of life.  Mattress Mart also brought along an adjustable bed and enlisted the help of Laura Brown, an expert in the area of memory foam and adjustable beds, to personally find the best adjusted sleeping position for each seminar participant. 

“We really enjoy doing seminars like this,” stated Trent Scheuer.  “The one thing we always hear at gatherings like this is, ‘Why aren’t salespeople in other stores trained as well as you?’  It makes us feel good knowing that we can provide good objective information about mattresses to the public and help these participants discern facts from sales pitches.”

“There is so much disinformation out there,” added Jeff Scheuer.  “Much of out time is spent overcoming misconceptions or bad information provided to people while they were shopping at other stores.  By the time we are done, at the very least we have educated everyone in attendance about what to look for when purchasing a new mattress, and hopefully they realize that a mattress is the most important piece of furniture in their home.”

2006

10 in a row - Mattress Mart wins Ther-A-Pedic’s Pinnacle Award again

July 14, 2006 - Mattress Mart was presented with their tenth consecutive Pinnacle Award from Ther-A-Pedic at an industry meeting recently in Las Vegas.  The Pinnacle award is given by Ther-A-Pedic Midwest to a dealer demonstrating outstanding sales, product knowledge and customer service.

“We might just have to rename this award after Mattress Mart,” stated Timothy Sheaks, Ther-A-Pedic Midwest’s Sales Manager.  “Their outstanding performance as a Ther-A-Pedic dealer is greatly appreciated, and that is why they have earned this 2005 Pinnacle Award from Ther-A-Pedic.”

“We are extremely honored to again accept this award from Ther-A-Pedic,” said Trent Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “All of our hard work and cooperation with Ther-A-Pedic has helped to create a wonderful line of bedding that offers great quality and value to our customers.  And since Ther-A-Pedic incorporates our design ideas in their line, the whole Midwest Ther-A-Pedic dealer network benefits.”

Mattress Mart wins outstanding sales achievement award from Ther-A-Pedic

April 7, 2006 - Mattress Mart has been presented with a special Sales Achievement Award from Ther-A-Pedic for their outstanding sales record in 2005.  Mattress Mart earned the award for record sales in the Michigan region.

2005

Mattress Mart is honored with ninth consecutive Pinnacle Award for outstanding sales and service

March 2, 2005 - Ther-A-Pedic executives honored Mattress Mart today with the 2004 Ther-A-Pedic Pinnacle Award for outstanding sales and service.  This is the ninth consecutive year Mattress Mart has won this award.

At a black tie gala held in South Bend, Indiana, Ther-A-Pedic Midwest Sales Manager Timothy Sheaks presented Jeff and Trent Scheuer with this award.  “What can I say?” stated Mr. Sheaks.  “Mattress Mart continues to sell and they do things the right way - outstanding customer service, great education for their comfort consultants and an outstanding selection of our products.” 

“We are extremely honored and humbled to again receive this award,” said Trent Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “We really appreciate Ther-A-Pedic again recognizing all of the hard work that we do for them and our customers.  It is a very good relationship.” 

2004

Red Hattitudes make Toys For Tots donation at Mattress Mart

December 11, 2004 – The Red Hattitudes of Cereal City USA, a local chapter of the Red Hat Society, recently made a large donation of toys to the Toys For Tots program at Mattress Mart.  Corporal Jason Taylor, United States Marine Corps and Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart, accepted the donation from the members of the Red Hattitudes.  The donation was made at the Battle Creek Mattress Mart location.

Mattress Mart is the featured retailer in Sleep Savvy magazine

September 24, 2004 – Mattress Mart, with locations in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Portage, was recently recognized in a national trade publication for excellence in service, ethics and having a unique retail philosophy.  The locally owned business was featured in the July/August issue of Sleep Savvy.  Sleep Savvy is published by the Better Sleep Council (BSC) and the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA), and reaches over 21,500 mattress retail locations. 

“Sleep Savvy is basically the Sports Illustrated of our industry,” stated Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “They promote ethical, honest and informed mattress retailing, and each month they feature a sleep shop in North America that best exemplifies these qualities.  We were fortunate to be featured in their most recent issue.  This is quite an honor and feather in our cap, and ranks right up there with our multiple Better Business Bureau awards.”

“We have known for some time that the unique way we brand our stores – using humor, a well-trained staff and avoiding deceptive “50% off” claims – has resulted in a strong reputation within our industry.  What we did not know was exactly how far that reputation had spread,” added Trent Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “A major mattress executive and ISPA board member nominated us for this feature.  He was surprised at how successful we have been by eschewing the normal way of doing business in our industry.  We don’t lie and say that our mattresses are “50% off”.  We focus on service, knowledge and humor, and use our television advertising to promote our customer-friendly way of doing business.”

Mattress Mart was featured in a four-page article in the 2004 July/August issue of Sleep Savvy in the section “Retail Road Trip”.  The article covered in detail Mattress Mart’s philosophy of customer service, product knowledge and low pricing.  Color photos featured Jeff and Trent Scheuer, the Mattress Mart store layout, the humorous Mattress Mart television commercials, and the extended Mattress Mart family – Trent’s twin girls Kelsey and Katie and Jeff’s dogs Sammy and Kochka.  The article has resulted in Mattress Mart being contacted by retailers from the United States and Canada requesting information on how to conduct business like Mattress Mart.

Mattress Mart wins eighth consecutive Ther-A-Pedic Pinnacle Award

January 14, 2004 - Ther-A-Pedic International presented Mattress Mart with their 2003 Pinnacle Award for outstanding customer service and sales achievement.  This is the eighth consecutive year Mattress Mart has won this award.  The presentation was made in South Bend, Indiana.

Jeffrey Sherman, President of Ther-A-Pedic Midwest, stated, “Mattress Mart takes a very proactive approach in selling our mattresses.  They take the time to visit our factories and give us input on what the bedding consumer is looking for.  They are also very detail oriented and let us know of any improvements that we can make in our quality and design.  Their suggestions influence our entire Midwest line.”

“Our partnership with Ther-A-Pedic produces a quality product with a high value for the customer,” said Trent Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “Ther-A-Pedic is interested in our suggestions, and where other manufacturers are interested in cutting corners, they take the time to put out the best product possible.  It is exactly the philosophy our customers are looking for in a mattress brand.”

2003

Roses - Mattress Mart goes the extra mile for their customers

November 22, 2003 - And a huge thank you to Jeff from the Battle Creek Mattress Mart store.  We showed up at his store 10 minutes before closing to buy a mattress and he stayed with us and answered all our questions and let us take our time to make sure that we were positive we got what we wanted.  He stayed until 30 minutes after their doors were closed just for us and never made us feel like we were a burden.  It would be nice if more businesses strived to provide great customer service like they do.  Thanks again!

Tiffany Wilson and Mike Schmidt

Battle Creek

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer

Mattress Mart wins Best in Customer Service Award from the Better Business Bureau

October 21, 2003 - Mattress Mart was awarded their fourth Better Business Bureau Award today as they were named the Best in Advertising for a small company by the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan.

“We are extremely pleased and honored to accept this award,” stated Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “The Better Business Bureau has recognized us for our unique method of advertising our stores.  We choose to use humor and consumer-friendly information in branding ourselves, instead of the deceptive and dishonest “50% Off” ads which are so common in our industry and our region.  Over the course of 11 year in business, we have proven that people respond to our way of advertising.”

Mattress Mart has now won every award the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau offers to businesses in their annual Best In Business program.

Mattress Mart wins seventh Pinnacle Award from Ther-A-Pedic

February 12, 2003 - Ther-A-Pedic announced today that they have awarded Mattress Mart a seventh consecutive Pinnacle Award for outstanding sales and customer service.

“We continue to be impressed by the high level of sales and customer support that Mattress Mart provides at all three of their locations.  They resist the temptation to advertise our products in a deceptive manner and choose instead to maintain their humorous and effective self-branding commercials.  We wish more of our dealers took their lead,” stated Timothy Sheaks, Ther-A-Pedic Midwest’s sales manager.

Brothers use sense of humor to boost business

2003 - They’re known as the “slipper guys” for their commercials, but in their 12 years of business they’ve set themselves apart with more than quirky ads.

Trent Scheuer, 34, and his brother, Jeff Scheuer, 39, own and operate Mattress Mart with stores at 5601 W. Main St. in Kalamazoo; 5383 S. Westnedge Ave. in Portage; and in Battle Creek.

They said the business is the largest independent dealer of Sealy mattresses in Michigan outside of furniture stores in terms of sales volume.  The stores do more than $3.5 million in sales annually, Trent Scheuer said.

They opened their first store in Battle Creek in 1992 when Trent left classes at Western Michigan University.  Jeff was fresh from training Olympic lugers, and their father, Tony Scheuer, brought many years of retail experience running a hardware store in Coloma.

Jeff Scheuer came up with the idea to wear goofy slippers in their ads, and soon the brothers were being recognized by people on the street.

“We really hadn’t done a lot of television commercials before and what we had done was pretty generic,” Trent Scheuer said.  “Slippers was just such a great idea because you have so many characters in slippers.”

Trent Scheuer remembers the first day they donned slippers for an ad.  “From that point on it really caught on,” he said.  ‘We had a lot of people call in, say it was unique.”

Other ads feature Trent Scheuer’s twin daughters, who have grown up on TV.  Three- year-old Katie and Kelsey have been in four commercials, starting when they were 13 months old.  Their proud dad plans about two ads a year involving the girls so viewers won’t miss them growing up.  “Once they’re 12 or 13 they might not think of it as neat,” Trent Scheuer said.

Other ads have featured Jeff Scheuer’s dogs, Jeff Scheuer dressed up as Elvis for a sale of king-sized mattresses, the brothers in bunny costumes for Easter, water-skiing on mattresses or riding them down hills in winter, and other activities showing they don’t take themselves too seriously, Jeff Scheuer said.

Besides branding themselves as “slipper guys,” Trent Scheuer said the store, which was the winner of the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau’s 2003-04 Best in Customer Service award, tries to treat folks as their father did.

“His focus from day one, even when he had the hardware store, was always on customer service,” Trent Scheuer said, referring to his father’s store in Coloma, where “you knew your customer’s names, if they had questions you answered them, and you had answers to them.”

Other factors they cite for success include a no-pressure sales technique, competitive prices, wide selection and lots of training for Mattress Mart’s 16 employees, Trent Scheuer said.

Reprinted from the Kalamazoo Gazette

2002

Mattress Mart employees receive sleep practitioner certification

November 17, 2002 - Patrick Hope and Fred Phillips of Mattress Mart recently earned the designation of retail sleep wellness practitioner by the Sealy Mattress Co. and the National Sleep Foundation.  They completed two courses dealing with the stages of sleep, restorative health and the relationship between sleep science and sleep wellness.

“I am very happy that two more of our Comfort Consultants have successfully passed these tests and received this certification,” Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart, stated.  “It shows the commitment Mattress Mart maintains in providing the best in knowledge and service to our customers.  Our entire staff is already certified by Ther-A-Pedic as Sleep Specialists, and we are pursuing this new training to further certify our staff as Retail Sleep Wellness Practitioners.” 

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer

Mattress Mart owner receives certification

September 29, 2002 - Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart in Battle Creek, Portage and Kalamazoo, received the certification of Retail Sleep Wellness Practitioner by the Sealy Mattress Co. and the National Sleep Foundation.  He completed two courses dealing with the stages of sleep, restorative health and the relationship between sleep science and sleep wellness.

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer

Mattress Mart wins sixth straight Pinnacle Award from Ther-A-Pedic

April 12, 2002 - Ther-A-Pedic, the fifth largest mattress manufacturer in the United States, recently awarded Mattress Mart of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Portage, Michigan, the 2001 Ther-A-Pedic Pinnacle Award.  This award is given annually by Ther-A-Pedic Midwest to the Ther-A-Pedic dealer exhibiting the highest levels of customer service, product knowledge and sales achievement.  Jeff and Trent Scheuer, co-owners of Mattress Mart, recently received the award at a special ceremony in South Bend, Indiana.

“This is the sixth straight time that Mattress Mart has won this award, which is unprecedented in the history of Ther-A-Pedic,” stated Timothy Sheaks, Ther-A-Pedic Midwest’s Vice President of Sales.  “They remain dedicated as ever to providing the highest level of customer service to each and every person who walks into their showroom.  And to top things off, they were named Business Of The Year by their local Better Business Bureau.  We couldn’t be prouder of the relationship we have with Jeff and Trent of Mattress Mart.”

Jeff Scheuer replied, “This award means a lot to us because it is based not only upon our sales volume, but most importantly on the service and knowledge we provide our customers.  We are celebrating our eleventh year in business and Michigan has really responded to our unique no-pressure shopping environment.  It’s nice that we always guarantee the lowest prices in Michigan, but the umber one priority is to put the needs of the customer first.” 

“And you can’t forget the unique programs we have in place for donating mattresses to our local domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, handicapper organizations and the work we do for Toys For Tots during the holiday season.  This charitable giving is another reason why we continue to be honored with this Pinnacle Award," added Trent Scheuer.

2001

Winning retailers know how to serve their customers

Mattress Mart wins Best In Advertising and Best In Business Better Business Bureau awards

November 18, 2001 - Suddenly there are lots of retails happenings to talk about, like Retailer of the Year.

Where is retail going?  How will it fare during the Christmas season?

In southwestern Michigan, the Better Business Bureau has given eight Best in Business awards for the year:  In Kalamazoo/Portage/Battle Creek, Mattress Mart walked off with the Business of the Year and Best in Advertising Awards.

The BBB says: “Our Best in Business awards recognize a few of the many companies who operate with integrity in the region.  Too often the only time the public hears about a company from the BBB is when there is a problem.  These companies were noted for doing something positive for our region.  We truly have 98 percent of our companies trying to do the right thing for our consumers.”

Mattress Mart was awarded the Best In Advertising Award for a small company.  Mattress Mart was also awarded the overall Business of the Year Award for the Southern Region of the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau, regardless of size.  Mattress Mart was the only business to garner two awards during the 13^th annual Best in Business luncheon in Grand Rapids.

Reprinted in part from the Kalamazoo Gazette

Building trust can make potential buyers repeat customers

October 3, 2001 - Let’s talk about mattress selling.  I read Debbie King’s letter regarding how she bought a mattress from Mattress Mart on South Westnedge.

King lives in Portage and she shopped Mattress Mart first because it was closest.  A man named Patrick was her first contact there.  She says, “He was very helpful.  No pressure, no assumptions.  Just a good, friendly attitude.  Pat gave me a lot of good information and encouraged me to shop around.  He also wrote down the mattress I chose on a brochure and said that as long as I had it they would honor the price.”

That is building trust, which is important in sales.  So King says, “I shopped around.  I went to (store No. 1).  I left there because the pressure is so annoying.  I went to (store No. 2) and they were nice.”

“Then I returned to Mattress Mart again to lie on the mattress and this time I met Tony.  He questioned me as to my experience with Pat and was pleased with my response.  Tony gave me even more good information and actually discouraged me from buying a box spring if it was going on a waterbed frame.  So I upgraded to a pillowtop…no pressure from Tony.”

“Third trip in to actually buy the mattress I met Guss.  Same wonderful attitude as the first two.  In all, my original purchase price was $730 and after all the help and advice from these three gentlemen it came to $580.  They lost money helping me and this is unbelievable!  And they delivered free, even though they normally don’t do that unless two pieces are purchased.”

“The delivery team was to be at my house between 4 and 6 p.m.  They were there at 3:55 p.m.  I am SO happy with this experience!  The mattress is heavenly.”

That is building trust.  And it is an experience that makes a person want to return.

Reprinted in part from the Kalamazoo Gazette

Mattress Mart is serving as a disaster relief center after September 11 attacks

September 12, 2001 - Mattress Mart Is Serving As A Red Cross Disaster Relief Donation Center.  Please Give What You Can Or Make An Appointment To Donate Blood To Help Those Involved In This Week’s Tragedies.

Mattress Mart’s comfort consultants become Ther-A-Pedic Certified Sleep Specialists

June 10, 2001 - Mattress Mart, Michigan’s largest Ther-A-Pedic mattress retailer, recently had all of their comfort consultants complete coursework and pass a certification exam to become Certified Sleep Specialists.

“We are very proud of the product knowledge our staff maintains, so when the opportunity arose to further educate our comfort consultants, we jumped at the chance,” stated Trent Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “When we train our comfort consultants it is to further educate them about mattress construction; we never waste their time by having them attend sales technique seminars.  Customers want to be informed about the product they are purchasing instead of being coerced into buying something they really don’t need.  In our industry, education is power, for both the consumer and the comfort consultant.”

Tim Sheaks, Ther-A-Pedic Midwest’s Sales Manager, also comments:  “We established this training program as a stand-alone educational component, separate from any sales training we offer.  It is intended to impart complete knowledge about mattresses and their construction.  We have had certain dealers send one or two of their staff at a time to be certified, but never have we had a business certify every one of their comfort consultants, yet alone all passing the exam on their first attempt.  Mattress Mart’s staff is very knowledgeable and we are proud to be associated with them.”

Mattress Mart wins another Sealy Outstanding Dealer Award

May 1, 2001 - The Sealy Mattress Company again honored Mattress Mart by presenting them with their 2000 Sealy outstanding Dealer Award.  This award is in recognition of Mattress Mart’s outstanding sales, their dedication to customer service and their extremely knowledgeable staff.

“We are proud to again present this award to Mattress Mart,” stated Joel Breazeale, Mattress Mart’s Sealy sales representative.  “They work very hard at presenting our product in a knowledgeable and honest light to the consumer.  They also work very closely with us to help us understand the needs and wants of their customers.  They have taught us so much about the retail end of mattress design and marketing.”

Trent Scheuer, Mattress Mart co-owner, added, “We view our relationship with Sealy as a partnership.  We do our best to inform them of the good things about their products, and the areas where they can make improvements.  It all ends up with a stronger mattress line being made available for our customers, and the value can’t be beat.  Very few retailers take the time to deal this closely with a vendor, but we feel it is to everyone’s benefit.  And our customers agree.”

Mattress Mart receives fifth straight Pinnacle Award

March 29, 2001 - Ther-A-Pedic, the fifth largest mattress company in the United States, recently awarded Mattress Mart of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Portage their 2000 Ther-A-Pedic Pinnacle Award.

The award is given annually to dealers showing high levels of customer service, product knowledge and sales achievement.  This is the fifth consecutive time Mattress Mart has won the award.

“They continue to set new records in sales, yet remain dedicated as ever to providing the highest level of customer service to each and every person who walks into their showroom.  We couldn’t be prouder of the relationship we have with Jeff and Trent,’ said Timothy Sheaks, vice president of sales for Ther-A-Pedic Midwest.

“This award means a lot to us because it is based not only upon sales volume but most importantly on the service and knowledge we provide customers,” said Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer and BEDtimes

Mattress Mart honored by state Senator Dale L. Shugars

February 20, 2001 - One of the greatest pleasures I have as a state Senator is to recognize individuals and groups for extraordinary achievements.  It has come to my attention that you and your store have recently been awarded the Small Business Community Service Award from the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau.

I want to extend my personal congratulations to you and to Mattress Mart on your award.  If my office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Dale L. Shugars

State Senator, 21^st District

2000

Mattress Mart wins Better Business Bureau’s Community Service Award

November 2, 2000 - On October 17, 2000, Mattress Mart won the 2000-2001 Small Business Community Service Award from the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau.  The award was presented at a luncheon at the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids. 

“We are very pleased to have been chosen for prestigious this award,” stated Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “The Better Business Bureau has recognized our commitment to Battle Creek and Kalamazoo through our mattress donations to S.A.F.E. Place, Toys For Tots and the United States Olympic Luge Team.  We are proud to have maintained this history of bedding donations for these past few years.  We have also arranged for donations to be made directly from the Ther-A-Pedic and Sealy Mattress companies to these same organizations.”  Mattress Mart was also a finalist for the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau Small Business Award for Excellence in Advertising, as determined by their honest, straight forward and humorous mattress advertisements.

Mattress Mart recognized by Sealy for sales and service - receives awards

May 25, 2000 - Mattress Mart was recognized today by the Sealy Mattress Company for outstanding sales and customer service for 1998 and 1999, according to Jeff and Trent Scheuer, co-owners of Mattress Mart.  The recognition was made and corresponding plaques were presented during a sales presentation in Grand Rapids by John O’Shaughnessy, Sealy District Sales Manager, and Joel Breazeale, Mattress Mart’s Sealy Sales Representative.

“We are very happy to receive this recognition,” stated Jeff Scheuer, “as it testifies to the high levels we have achieved in both sales and customer service.  Posting year after year of record sales is nice, but our dedicated customer service is what keeps us growing.  Only nine years since our father founded Mattress Mart, we have grown to be one of the largest independent Sealy dealers in Michigan, and we appreciate Sealy’s recognition of our hard work.  And of course, we wish to thank the people of Michigan for continuing to allow us to provide for their bedding needs.”

Business helps comfort abused - Mattress Mart wins Ann Shafer Community Service Award

May 8, 2000 - For the contribution of mattresses to families relocating from SAFE Place, Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart, recently received on behalf of Mattress Mart the Ann Shafer Community Service Award from the shelter.

The Ann Shafer Community Service Award was established in 1991 in honor and memory of one of the SAFE Place former board members.  Shafer was an advocate for the disadvantaged, for women, the mentally disabled and civil rights.

This award is given annually to an individual or organization that has significantly affected the issue of domestic violence.

Reprinted in part from the Battle Creek Enquirer

1999

Mattress Mart wins Pinnacle Award for fourth consecutive year

December 21, 1999 - For the fourth year in a row, Mattress Mart has been awarded the Pinnacle Award by the Ther-A-Pedic Bedding Company.  This award is given annually to the Ther-A-Pedic dealer offering their customers the best in service and product knowledge, combined with record bedding sales.  ”We continue to be impressed by the fine work done at Mattress Mart,” stated Timothy Sheaks, Ther-A-Pedic’s Midwest sales manager.  “They continue to set new records for sales and customer satisfaction.  We couldn’t be more proud to have a vendor of their caliber.”

“We are both honored and humbled to receive this award for an unprecedented fourth year,” stated Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “The people of Michigan have responded overwhelmingly to our service, selection and knowledge, and it has allowed us to continue to give back to the community through our donations to SAFE Place and Toys For Tots.  Customers want expert advice from specialists, not a sales pitch, and providing that has helped us become on of Michigan’s premier sleepshops.”

Mattress Mart duo at trade event

July 6, 1999 - Mattress Mart co-owners Jeff and Trent Scheuer attended Ther-A-Pedic International’s semi-annual membership meeting in Las Vegas.

They spoke with factory owners and sales managers of Ther-A-Pedic, a worldwide association of bedding manufacturers, about the importance of quality and price in bedding products in the retail environment.

“Ther-A-Pedic works closely with Mattress Mart to provide the best product to the consumer,” co-owner of Mattress Mart Jeff Scheuer said.  “Having a good relationship with vendors and customer is important.”

“Ther-A-Pedic supports Mattress Mart with the strongest warranty and quality products so that Mattress Mart can guarantee value and the best customer service,” says Greg Sammons, Vice President of Ther-A-Pedic Midwest.”  “That is why we chose Jeff and Trent to speak at the seminar.  Their founding principles have made Mattress Mart a premier sleep shop in Michigan.”

Mattress Mart and Ther-A-Pedic also worked together to contribute twin bedding sets to a local domestic violence shelter.  Mattress Mart was founded by the Scheuer family and is currently run by Jeff and Trent Scheuer.  The store’s phone number is 979-9799.

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer

Mattress Mart honored with Pinnacle Award

April 1999 - Ther-A-Pedic Midwest recently honored bedding retailer Mattress Mart of Michigan for the third year in a row with the 1998 Pinnacle Award for “exemplary customer service” and record mattress sales.  The award was presented to Jeff and Trent Scheuer, co-owners, by Jeffrey Sherman, president and owner of Ther-A-Pedic Midwest.  Mattress Mart is one of the largest sleep shops in Michigan with locations in Battle Creek, Portage and Kalamazoo.

Ther-A-Pedic Midwest also worked with Mattress Mart’s sales staff to create Ther-A-Pedic Sleep Gallery, a successful in-store merchandising program.

Reprinted from BEDtimes

Woman drives through mattress store window

March 22, 1999 - A 67-year-old Battle Creek woman and a passenger were not injured Saturday afternoon when the woman drove her car through the window of Mattress Mart, 5285 Beckley Road.

The woman told Battle Creek police she became dizzy and confused ad stepped on the car’s gas pedal instead of its brake.

The car went form the parking space over the sidewalk and into the building.

Besides a broken window, there was structural damage to the building, police said.  Both the driver and her 46-year-old son, a passenger, were able to get out of the car without help.

The woman was not cited.

(Note from Jeff:  She drove back and bought a mattress from us the next day.)                  

Reprinted from the Battle Creek Enquirer

1998

Mattress Mart honored again - receives another Sealy outstanding dealer award

September 29, 1998 - Mattress Mart, one of Michigan’s largest sleep shops, was again recently honored with Sealy’s outstanding dealer award.  This award takes into account the overall mattress sales volume of a dealership, their level of customer service and sales staff mattress product knowledge.  The award was for 1997.

Mattress Mart has maintained a customer approval rating over 99%.  As a bonus, Mattress Mart was recently awarded the exclusive mid-Michigan dealership for Sealy’s new Correct Comfort mattress series.

“We are extremely pleased to again receive this exclusive Sealy Outstanding Dealer Award,” stated Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.  “We have always maintained extremely high levels of customer satisfaction, and we are now receiving the same type of accolades from our vendors.  It shows that people respond to good buys, knowledgeable sales staff and price guarantees with integrity.”

Mattress Mart wins second consecutive Pinnacle Award

January, 1998 - Ther-A-Pedic Midwest has named Mattress Mart as the winner of its Pinnacle Award for 1997 in recognition of mattress sales and customer service.

According to Mr. Greg Sammons, Vice President of Sales for Ther-A-Pedic Midwest, “Mattress Mart’s success with Ther-A-Pedic is exemplified by the major expansion of our bedding line in all three of their Michigan stores.  Their staff reflects a professional attitude and product knowledge which is evident in their increased sales activity.”

Reprinted from Furniture Today and Ther-A-Pedic

1997

Mattress Mart wins Sealy’s Outstanding Dealer Award

May 4, 1997 - Mattress Mart was awarded Sealy’ Outstanding Dealer Award for 1996 this week.  The award was presented by Sealy sales representative Joel Breazeale.  The award is give in recognition of Mattress Mart’s high sales volume, their level of staff knowledge and an extremely high level of customer satisfaction.

Mattress Mart designs line just for Midwest

April, 1997 - Mattress Mart completed working with the Ther-A-Pedic Bedding Company to design an exclusive line up for the Midwest region of the United States.

Mattress Mart is one of the largest Ther-A-Pedic dealers in the Midwest.  “It’s rare for a retailer to be allowed to give direct input into the product design of a mattress company,” said Jeff Scheuer, co-owner of Mattress Mart.

The new Ther-A-Pedic line up is on display at all three Mattress Mart locations.

Reprinted in part from the Battle Creek Enquirer

1996

Ther-A-Pedic honors Mattress Mart

December, 1996 - Ther-A-Pedic Midwest has named Mattress Mart as the winner of its Pinnacle Award for 1996 in recognition of mattress sales and customer service.