By Sara Beth Williams–
Kevin Matthews launched his first Matthew’s Mattress store over three decades years ago in the Bay Area. At his peak, he developed his own mattress brand and managed a total of 12 stores. Now he’s ready to retire, he says.
In an interview at his Citrus Heights store, Matthews told The Sentinel that the decline in a favorable business climate has motivated his decision to close all store locations within the next year. So far, five stores remain, including the Citrus Heights location, with two other store closures planned for this summer.
Currently, the Citrus Heights Matthews Mattress location will continue business as usual through at least the end of September, Matthews said, and possibly until the end of the year, as he moves inventory from other closed stores into the Citrus Heights location.
Matthews grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood but recalled when he began attending Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, he noticed a stark difference in the behavior and affluence of his fellow students and their families compared to those families who lived in his own neighborhood—and he wanted to be like them instead.
Matthews attended California State University of Sacramento, and while majoring in marketing and management, he worked odd jobs in the field of construction and helped maintain rental properties owned by his father.
“Started when I was 25, worked my butt off, built up the Vacaville store to 12 stores,” Matthews said of his business.
Today, Matthews said he still does odd jobs in construction and has used his construction skills to maintain all of his stores.
But the cost of overhead in California has become too high to continue operating his business, Matthews said, with the cost of labor increasing due to minimum wage increases, on top of the rising cost of insurance, electricity, rent, gas, delivery drivers, and more.
“We’re the canary in the coal mine when it comes to a lot of things that are happening with the economy, so we feel it first,” Matthews said, adding that when people aren’t buying or selling homes and moving as much, they’re also not buying mattresses as much.
“We have a lot of return customers,” Matthews said, but they’re always waiting on that one customer to spend $5,000 to $7,000 and lately, customers aren’t spending as much.
When asked if he has thought about relocating to another state, Matthews did not see that option in his plans for the moment and said he is ready to move on to other things.
Matthew’s Mattress on Greenback Lane is currently holding a retirement sale as the company prepares to close. While inventory is moving out fast, new inventory from other stores that close will take its place, Matthew’s said.
Discounted price varies by product and older products, or floor models are generally less expensive than newer products.
Leasing documents shared with The Sentinel in the spring, along with a sign out in front of the store, show the 3,870-square-foot freestanding building located at 8042 Greenback Ln. is for lease. Matthews confirmed that the building’s owner, whom he has known for over a decade, is seeking another tenant. Until then, Matthews said he plans to remain open.
Matthew’s Mattress first opened in 1991, and has multiple locations, including locations in Roseville, Sacramento, and Citrus Heights.
Over the years, the company created its own line of mattresses that offered better warranties than name-brand mattresses. Matthew’s Mattress also carries name-brands alongside its own line of mattresses.
The company emphasizes a “low-pressure” sales atmosphere, store manager Dana Mayfield said, explaining that she would rather someone take home the right mattress the first time, than have them feel pressured to buy something, and then return it.
Matthew’s Mattress sells mostly mattresses and box springs, with some bed frames available in select sizes. The mattress store is located at 8042 Greenback Ln. and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
