In the Spotlight :: Sit-n-Sleep Gives Back to the Community

“Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep; it’s essential to health and overall wellbeing and we’re proud to be able to support those in need.”

~ Larry Miller, CEO of Sit ‘n Sleep

If you have lived in Southern California for any length of time, you have most likely heard Sit ‘n Sleep founder Larry Miller’s  catchphrase “Or your mattress is freee.”  His commercials and catchphrase has made him a Southern California celebrity.  As CEO of Sit ‘n Sleep, Southern California’s leading mattress retailer, Larry has been the man behind the business for over 30 years. He’s also the man behind the iconic ad slogan that’s stuck with residents for decades.

A lifelong California resident, Larry had an entrepreneurial spirit from the beginning, selling newspapers and coins as a young kid. He eventually went into business with his father Phil and the pair opened their first Sit ‘n Sleep store in 1980. After a trip to Japan, Larry convinced his dad to bring the latest fad of futons to their store in Culver City, a move that ended up being a much-needed success for the new company.  I can remember in high school when futons starting becoming more popular.  It is interesting to find out that Sit ‘n Sleep is one of the first retailers to bring them to Southern California!

“Or Your Mattress is Freee.”

Larry’s hit slogan was actually created by accident. In the early 80’s, Larry responded to a customer’s demand of a best price guarantee and said, “Ma’am, I will beat anyone else’s advertised price or your mattress is free.”  Another lucky strike of advertising, including a spot on Howard Stern’s radio show and the company’s first TV ad in 1993, helped double Sit ‘n Sleep’s sales. They eventually expanded their inventory to include brand name mattresses, and Sit ‘n Sleep was well on its way to becoming the largest West Coast mattress retailer.

Sit ‘n Sleep Gives Back to the Community:

As a family man, Larry knows the importance of remaining dedicated to his employees and community. He beams when talking about his children, Danielle and Drew whom are the driving forces behind his ambition. Still an active leader in his company, Larry is on a first-name basis with all of his over 200 employees – an impressive feat for a man who just opened his 30^th location.

Starting his career with almost nothing, Larry now gives back as much as he can to those in need. He’s a partner with the Jewish Vocational Service as well as the Scott Newman Foundation, Make a Wish, Greater Los Angeles and City of Hope. Sit ‘n Sleep just embarked on a new partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Greater Los Angeles, to provide new mattresses for every family that receives a new home.  Over 80 families will benefit from Sit ‘n Sleep’s generosity in 2013.

Larry’s secret to success is simple – it’s based on giving the consumers what they actually want. He offers the largest selection of mattresses available at the lowest price, and trains a highly effective sales staff to ensure they are the experts in the field.  I know how important it is to get a good mattress based on your sleeping habits and the staff at Sit ‘n Sleep are qualified to provide you with the information you need to make a wise purchasing decision.  Considering we spend a 1/3 of our life sleeping, it is very important to make sure the mattress you sleep on night after night fits what you need.

Larry still gets surprised that people will stop him on the street for photos and autographs. Sit ‘n Sleep is his pride and joy, and Larry remains dedicated to giving back to the community that helped Sit ‘n Sleep become such a success. Larry’s eye for evolving his brand has helped Sit ‘n Sleep remain a top mattress retailer in the country to this day. 

I had a chance to speak to Larry more about the work they are doing with Habitat for Humanity and this is what he had to say about how this partnership came about:

To find the nearest Sit ‘n Sleep store near you and take advantage of their Presidents Day Sale going on from 2/10-2/22 go here.