P.C. Richard & Son has long been a provider of home electronics and appliances, but the retailer is setting its sights on the addition of a more comfortable product.
Construction of new mattress showrooms began in May and is ongoing at a number of store locations, according to John LaRegina, senior buyer at the company. As of Sept. 3, P.C. Richard had built 16 showrooms in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. LaRegina said all 66 of the company’s stores will have mattress showrooms in 2015.
P.C. Richard began carrying Tempur Sealy mattresses in May and has sold “well into the thousands” of mattresses during the past few months, he said.
“It’s really good fun, and in a lot of ways it’s been really inspirational,” LaRegina said. “We really feel like we’re fulfilling a big need in the marketplace aside from what we do in the appliance and television business.”
Brands available through P.C. Richard include Sealy Posturepedic, Stearns & Foster, Optimum and Tempur-Pedic.
Company officials had considered getting involved in the mattress business for about four years, LaRegina said. They ultimately decided to delve into the sleep industry because market studies showed that people were purchasing mattresses near P.C. Richard stores.
“There are our customers out there, in our marketplace, buying mattresses,” LaRegina said. “We have the space, we have the warehousing, we have great service people — we should be doing it.”
Salespeople have gone through training at the Tempur Sealy factory in Paterson to learn how mattresses are made and how certain models address specific needs, such as a stiff neck or back pain. According to LaRegina, the training allows salespeople to more effectively help customers find mattresses that suit their preferences and budgets.
“Buying a mattress is a very difficult thing to do,” he said. “Customers don’t want to [buy the wrong model] and they don’t want to overpay.”
Comfort is the central focus of the process, LaRegina said, stressing the importance of choosing the right mattress.
“For us, it’s all about the customers’ comfort. They come to us and ask to help them solve a problem,” he said. “A lot of people don’t sleep too well.
“You really need someone to guide you through the process with your comfort in mind.”
P.C. Richard carries mattresses from $99 to $5,000, with varying degrees of quality and firmness.
By adding mattresses to its inventory, P.C. Richard can offer the simultaneous delivery of all aspects of a home-remodeling project, LaRegina said.
“If you want to redo your kitchen and all your bedrooms, you can do it all here,” he said. “We show up in one day, all at one time, so you’re not waiting for multiple deliveries to come.”
Helping people sleep better and streamline their home improvements is a reward in itself, LaRegina said.
“There is nothing more satisfying than solving a problem for somebody,” he said.