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Am I the only one wondering about this stuff?

While I was quietly lamenting the fact that I had just purchased $118.00 worth of groceries that I probably could have carried out of the store with my hands if I were feeling ambitious, I had a few thoughts that I wanted to share. Additionally, I have a few questions.

Could someone explain to me how so many Mattress Superstores manage to stay afloat? Mattress warehouses are becoming as ubiquitous as Starbucks, at least here in the Austin area. Every time I turn around, there is another one. Every new shopping area includes one, sometimes two.

Perhaps I not changing my mattress often enough? I looked it up tonight, and I found this answer: "The best rule of thumb is to change your mattress when you are having trouble getting a good night's rest." I have a two-year old child, which means that I should be replacing my mattress at least twice a week using this particular guideline.

Another answer stated that a decent mattress should come with a 10-year warranty minimum. It also said that good name brands (which ours is) come with a 20-year warranty.

With that in mind, I have decided the time might be right for launching my newest franchise idea: roof superstores. It sounds like the lifespan for a good mattress is about the same as a roof, so my idea seems sound, right?

On a semi-related note, I have a clock radio made by GE that my grandmother bought for me when I was visiting her. I was 11 years old when this purchase was made, which makes my clock radio about 26 years of age. Is that normal? I guess that might explain why there aren't any Clock Radio Superstores or Clock Radio Warehouses. They make those babies to last. Sure, it has an early 80's font on it, but it's digital and the speaker is fine. Why replace it?

For a long time, my wife and I joked about the proliferation of nail salons and liquor stores in our area, which of course are the hallmark of good taste the world round. Simply add a pawn shop and a check cashing service and it screams "This is a ritzy area of town."

But seriously, every strip center that I have seen in and around Austin seems to contain a nail salon. I am clearly in the wrong business.

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Posted by Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) on 04/07/2008 11:55 PM

Comments (57)

Humor in the ActiveRain Channel

nail salons, mattress superstores, businesses, strip centers, funny

Originally posted at: Cool Austin Texas Real Estate Blog : Am I the only one wondering about this stuff?

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57 Comments on Am I the only one wondering about this stuff?

APR

2008

You are too funny! I am starting to get concerned. I live in a nice area of town, but in the last year a couple nail salons have opened up about 2 miles down the street. Is this the beginning of the end? ; 0

Also, your clock radio only lasts because it is 26 years old. If you had bought it 3 years ago it would be broken by now!

Nice clock radio Jason. I vaguely remember the one just like it that my great, great grandfather owned.

I'm not sure about mattresses either....got mine from the second hand store...we patched up the holes with duct tape and there you have it....good as new.

Not sure about the roof idea...at least not in my neck of the woods. We replace our tarps about every 4 years whether they need it or not.

Ack! I've always wondered the very same thing about mattress stores; always wondered how they stayed in business. And I don't know about your area, but here in the Puget Sound region of WA State, every street corner near any mattress store has people hired by these stores to hold big arrow signs or finger signs and shake the arrow continuously in the direction of the store. Why this irks me, I don't know. It just does...

Thanks for the laugh!

Carol

Jason, we've also wondered how so many different mattress stores can possibly sell enough mattresses to stay in business.

My question is this, what do they do with these mattresses that they keep on the showroom floor that a gazillion people have lain on to test out? Who knows what they may have crawling on them?

And I also have a clock radio that I got when I was a teenager that has lasted longer than any job I have ever had and outlived both my marriages. That baby still keeps on going.

And as for nail salons.... my nail guy has shared with me that he can bring in over $1000 a day during the summer. He is open 6 days a week. You do the math. And the funny thing about that is.... you have to pay $4500 ~ $5500 to go to school for months to get licensed to do nails but yet you can get a Real Estate license with 60 hours and $400 bucks for school.

Makes you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?!

Susan

Jason,

Easy answer...high markups and they're made from recycled tires!!! LOL, Thanks, Fran

Strange Jason...I was just wondering about mattress stores myself the other day....seems like there is one on every corner...sort of bizarre. Our community here in Florida is full of banks (one going up on every corner of town) Pharmacies ( tells you a little about our demographic here in paradise), mattress stores, nail salons and tons of grocery stores. How can they all possibly survive?

Our community used to be full of title companies, mortgage companies and real estate agencies...they have mostly packed up an left. It will be interesting to see what happens to all those matress stores.

I probably need to go to a Nail place but I don't . I definately need a new matress....since I sleep about 5-6 hours a night sleep well is not an issue. I will be out soon!

That is too funny and yes our neighbor hood is quickly going down hill too, it use to be chickens and horses on the corner, but I'm seeing more nail salons to. With a two year old, nobody gets a good night sleep every night, hey, I have an idea, what about changing the two year olds matteress. LOL

Very funny that you should mention this Jason. I just noticed a new mattress store in my town the other day. And as for nail salons they are everywhere, even more so than Starbucks. I wonder why they havent opened up a nail salon in a Starbucks yet. Actually a couple of the agents in my office are now doing nails since the market has slowed. Or how about a StarMattNails.... hmmm

Jason.....now that you mention it there seem to be more mattress stores than furniture stores. It is an amazing thing you say!

Man, you are on a roll tonight...

Jason - I can see you mastering anything you put your mind to... but stick with real estate - I'm just having a hard time picturing you in a nail salon.

You crack me up! That is all that I can say. You totally crack me up.

Don't forget about hair salons, they are everywhere too.

That was a great post Jason! I have totally wondered that about a dozen times myself. In Spokane, WA we seem to have a ton of mattress stores. There are no less than 6 between my house and the closest mall (which is about 9 miles away since I am on the outskirts of town). The other thing that I noticed a while back is that almost all mattress companies start with an "S" (ex, Sterns and Foster, Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Sleep Number beds, etc.) There must be something about alliteration and sleep. Maybe I should look into alliteration and mortgages! :)

I also have an alarm clock similar to yours. Where did I put that? It lasted so long, I got tired of looking at it. When my sister-in-law bought us a digital one, I stored it away!

Why don't we go in together and start an roof - n - nail franchise, kind of a head to toe outlet. Have a seat, we'll do your nails while you choose your roof tile.......

I can understand the nail salons. I know how often my wife gets hers done. The mattress shops make no sense to me either.

I wondered the same thing. My mattress had a 10-year warranty and I'm 7 years past the warranty period.

Absolutely, I must be over due. But, my mattress is too comfortable and still in good shape. We have a lots of mattress stores opening in Southern California.

Not only are they opening stores, but Superstores. There is one company with a slew of radio commercial, Sit & Sleep.

"You're killing me Larry!"

Jason, hahaha. I can see YOU in the nail business. And Yes one does wonder why there are so many mattress centers. Like you say, with your two year old, you would need a new mattress every night. For now, I would too because of having to sleep flat on my back during recovery. Actually I didn't have a great night's sleep in years. We actually are looking into a new mattress only what I want is too expensive. I want a dail a number or something. Thanks for the humor. You made me laugh.

Jason - lol, you are to funny ! We also have an abundance of mattress stores and nail salons. I often wonder my line of work as well. I do however flip our mattress a lot to preserve our warranty you know :) and hey, leave those nail salons alone !

Jason - That is creepy that you post this! My husband and I just had a conversation yesterday about the whole mattress thing - honestly, what the heck is up with that? I, too, am concerned that I am not changing my mattress frequently enough. I don't get it - there is one on ever corner, I never see people in them - even if they sell one mattress a day how can they afford the overhead?????

Jason, hilarious. I use the Select Comfort, best mattress I ever had which is only 3 in a 30 year marriage, not bad. Who but you would think of this?

Jason ~ Was this your Andy Rooney imitation? : ) I do agree with you though. We seem to have nail salons all over the place, and I can't imagine that there are that many people to visit them all (especially since I have stopped going as part of our economic stimulus package!).

Jason, thanks for the giggles, I too have a clock radio that almost qualifies as an antique. I recently bought a mattress and the store was empty-not only that the manager (only person working in the store) was outside reading a paperback book when I arrived. The only thing I can figure is when they sell one of their upscale matress' for $15,000. They must make about $14,000. it's the only way it makes sense. The tempurpedic pillow is $300- my eight year old daughter was very impressed and wanted Santa to bring her one, but I guess he couldn't fit it on his sleigh.

Jason, I actually had to buy a new clock radio about 2 years ago and was surprised to find that there were very few available. The clerk at Best Buy told me that clock radios are not exactly the hottest selling piece of technology these days. They had 3 models in stock. I ended up buying one that has a CD player in it -- already obsolete as they now have iPOD compatible clock radios.

I just picked up a clock/radio/cd player at Walmart for about $12....that should tell ya something about technology and where we are headed...lol

Jason: In PA, there are also an abundance of mattress stores and nail salons, not counting where I live the used car carrols. On another note. radios made in the days yours was created were made to last. Just remember "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Jason- You most definitely are in the wrong business, Nail salons are a gold mine. they are always full, and now with the pedicure business! I am always amazed at how they do not even have to market. They just have to open the door! The mattress thing, I have asked the same question!

The other question I have is that if there is NO margin in electronic sales, why are there three or four electronic stores within a stones throw of each other everywhere I go? Selling electronics must have SOME margin, right?

You laugh, Jason, but when you need a new mattress, you need it RIGHT NOW. No time to drive 5 minutes, you need posterpedic action ASAP. So scoff all you like, but when you need an adjustment to your sleep number, you will call mattress 911. And you don't want the ambulance coming from County Memorial. Instead of fighting it, let's get in on this. "sleep Southwest" has a nice generic ring to it.

One of the large residential and commercial developers in our area owns (and has occasionally been seen working in i.e. counting the money) a nail salon. Maybe we are in the wrong business.

If he were still alive, your matress store theme would have made for a good Andy Rooney segment.

Jason - I'm with you, I just don't get it. After sleeping on a Sterns & Foster mattress at a swanky hotel, I went out and bought one in 1999. Every morning I tell my husband that our bed sucks... It sucks you and you never want to get up. Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for and boy did I.

Your not in the wrong business, you just need to open a nail salon too.

That reminds me. It's time for a pedicure...

The reason we have so many around here is our mattresses seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate and have to be replaced often.

In fact, I also understand this is how some of our Realtors get to their showings and listing appointments.

Thanks for the laugh. In fact I just picked up $100.00 worth of groceries & it all fit into one handy bag! Lucky for me if I was tired I could walk over to the Matress Superstore with the balloons trailing in the wind and take a nap! They are so bored they would never notice me, but they might eat my stuff!!

I think mattress stores are going to replace balloon and party stores!!! :0)

Well, I agree with you about being in the wrong business. Hair dressers and nail people make better money than we do, but they also are in worse health than we are.

We have about 10 nails salons on our little ONE MILE stretch of Coast Highway. You still have to wait when you walk in. I'm willing to bet a couple more wouldn't hurt anyone's business. Crazy!

Almost forgot... We don't have the proliferation of mattress stores, but I always wondered about the FIVE imported rug stores that are along the road. Do people really buy that many $30,000 rugs??? Always smelled fishy to me.

All the former Realtors who are getting out of the business are sensing the next big wave - mattresses>

By the way, I had one of those clocks too, in the genuine simulated vinyl wood grain. Does yours have the numbers that are cut in half so the top half flops down on the bottom half every minute? And after a few years it gets louder and louder so the darn things are clacking away like Grampa's teeth every minute so you can't sleep anyway? Yeah, that's the clock.

Jason, I can always count on you for a laugh. Really! You are something else. They just don't make things to last any more. My mouth is frozen in a smile. Good giggling with you. Later in the rain~Deb

Okay, so here's what we do...we drop this real estate gig and start renting out mattresses to nail salons. That way, we can get a power nap and a pedi at the same time.

We can start selling those masks that the pedi-performers use while filing? OOOH! How about the plastic that protects mattresses during shipping? Now there's a racket!

I think I'll stick to the real estate gig. Better set my alarm.

OR we could stop off at the liquor store, pop a top or three and with the masks on to disguise us, cut off all the mattress tags at the superstore!

If that doesn't work, we can pawn some jewelry for more liquor!

Austin sounds great to me.

Jason, I can't understand any of these businesses other than they have low overhead as far as labor costs and there is a need for the product (apparently). I don't frequent pretty much any of them, so I am not in the mainstream.

Opening a roofing company in the Dallas area would make you a millionaire. Many people get a new roof each time it hails. Hail is mostly cosmetic, but insurance companies like them replaced. I bought a new mattress last year, and it was easy to shop for because all the different competing stores were within a mile radius of each other, so they're not just all over Austin, I think it's everywhere! Oh, and I have a VERY old clock radio too... too funny!

Jason: This was major funny. I laughed so hard I peed my matress. Guess it is time to get a new roof.

APR

2008

Jason.....Think about it. Look at the jobs your mattress and roof have to do. What's a clocks job? Stayed plugged in and maybe squawk for a half a second in the morning? I say lets all open nail salons where we can lay down and talk real estate!

I appreciate all of your funny comments. I haven't really had time lately to individually respond, but several of these comments made me laugh out loud. As an aside, Andy Rooney is very much alive and well at 89 years of age.

This post got me thinking about some of the foreclosed properties I've seen lately. Without fail the refrigerator is missing, but there is always at least one mattress left behind...

Hmmm... I think somehow the mattress guys have this all figured out. Conspiracy theory anyone?

People are so stressed and busy they wake up feeling tired; it's really sleep deprivation, but it's easier to blame the mattress! The promise of a good night's rest is obviously worth big bucks.

Boy if we are supposed to change our mattress when we aren't getting a good nights sleep, I'll need a truckload of extras in my gagrage. With real estate being what it is, a good nights sleep is a distant memory.

Brian Bartley

Jason - Great talking with you today. I loved the post. Speaking of nail salons, this is priceless: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o

APR

2008

Oops... Sorry Andy for planting you in the ground prematurely

SEP

2008

Sorry I never got a chance to come back and respond here. I linked to this post yesterday, and it remains one of my faves.

Jason - very funny blog!

You're not the only one with a 70's or 80's alarm clock - my Vintage GE AM,FM,WEATHER & TV Clock Radio is still holding up just fine, thank you very much!

Chris Gehlhausen

www.FaithfulFunding.com

Vintage GE 7-48878 AM,FM,WEATHER & TV Clock Radio.

SEP

2008

I love those old fashioned clock radios. For some reason, they remind me of happy times as a kid and that is the association that I have with them. Whenever I show a house with an old clock radio, I smile :)

As for the mattresses, I have often wondered the same thing. I just replaced my mattress after 19 years and I must say, I now feel like I am living the life of luxury!

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