The Difference in Handcrafted, Custom Built Mattresses

We sat down with Eric Slagle, owner of Slagle’s Mattresses

Can you tell us about your experience in the mattress industry?

I started nearly 30 years ago in the mattress business, both manufacturing, and retail sales. My wife, Kim, does all the hard work – office, accounting, and payroll. I manage, design, manufacture and sell the finished product. We’re a family-owned business that builds with pride and a sense of responsibility to the community we so proudly serve.

What’s the difference in your hand built custom made a mattress and all the national brands other retail stores sell?

At Slagle’s Mattress, every mattress we sell is handcrafted and custom built. Many of the techniques we use have been around for decades, but modern technology has been unable to improve upon. Most manufacturers have actually cut quality and incorporated practices to ensure their mattresses don’t last as long. At Slagle’s, we still build double-sided, beds that can be flipped with the highest quality USA-made components we can find to ensure years of comfortable use.

Do you build custom size mattresses?

Yes, odd size and special orders are always welcome. For antiques, boats, truckers and especially RV beds. Any size, any shape, any comfort level, even round or split top mattresses for adjustable beds.

What recommendations do you offer people who are looking for beds?

I first try to find out if the customer is a side, stomach, or back sleeper. That will help me direct them to a more suitable mattress. If there is chronic lower back pain or maybe acid reflux or snoring issues, that customer may be needing an adjustable (head up, foot up) type bed. The beauty of having a local factory on site is that it enables us to customize the chosen mattress to suit the customer’s needs. Different color fabric, higher or lower style boxes, even subtle enhancements in firmness or softness, nearly all mattresses can be customized in this manner.

What separates you from your competitors?

A mass produced bed can hardly compare to a handcrafted custom built one. Whereas a lot of national brands look for ways to cut quality by shopping globally for cheaper components, we’ll gladly pay a bit more to buy higher quality USA-made components and bed frames. Their labor is on piece work, they can’t take the needed time to build each mattress set as if their last name is on it, as mine is.

What are new trends in the mattress industry?

Memory foam has been hot, both literally and figuratively. It lacks breath

ability so the industry has started infusing it with cooling gels. Some folks that are chemically sensitive have issues with the off-gassing of these chemicals in memory foam. At Slagle’s, we carry memory foams and hybrids but have a preference for the 100% natural Latex. It’s far more breathable, resilient, comfortable and better for the environment. We make a large selection of latex mattresses from pillow soft to extra firm.

What compliment have you received lately?

I feel so blessed and humbled to have the abundant amount of referrals we get. We’ve even delivered throughout the state to folks that have been referred to our quality, comfort, or ability to customize individual needs or desires. We’ve had an A+ with the Better Business Bureau for nearly 25 years, and been voted and acknowledged as one of the best mattress stores in Bakersfield for several years running now.

Anything else you want to tell readers about your business?

I encourage everyone to come see and feel the difference a handcrafted mattress can make in their lives, and witness for themselves why the national brands just can’t compare. From our family to yours, “REST ASSURED.”

“It’s fulfilling to me that for up to 90% of the mattresses, I’m the finishing touch. I enjoy it. I’m the last step of quality control, and I get to look at it and make sure it’s done right.” 

Eric Slagle

Owner, 

Slagle’s Mattress Factory