Sleep Well News
The Story Behind the New Alamogordo Store
For two years Sleep Well in Alamogordo was located in a building that helped set the company as a “boutique” look and feeling mattress store. “It was a wonderful opportunity just to be able to have our own business at that point, so we loved it and nurtured the business as best we could,” says Javier, owner of Sleep Well.
During those two years, the company expanded to a location in Carlsbad New Mexico, a 10k sq ft behemoth of a building. “We knew that if we tried to fill that large of a storefront with nothing but mattresses, we would overwhelm our customers with an endless sea of white rectangles and lose our attention to finding them the right support in a mattress. So we experimented with buying small batches of furniture to see if we could sell furniture successfully” said Javier. “I enjoyed being able to decorate and set up the vignettes for people to see what the furniture would look like in their homes,” Gretchen Casillas, owner of Sleep Well.
The initial purchase of furniture in the Carlsbad store did not go as well as initially planned. The couple had purchased several large sectionals and large bedroom sets that sat for several months before they sold. “We were concerned with the lack of sales on the larger pieces, and we couldn’t figure it out,” Javier. The couple, by chance, had the opportunity to make several deliveries to customers one afternoon and upon doing those deliveries discovered the reason why those pieces hadn’t moved. “The customer base we were getting at that point was moving into smaller rental homes. The living rooms and bedroom space were just too limited for our purchases.”, Gretchen. After that discovery, they adjusted their purchasing techniques and have found a very successful furniture buying pattern that has led to their want to increase their Alamogordo presence.
When they discovered that differences in who was their customer and what their needs were they began to wonder what it would be like to operate with furniture in Alamogordo. The idea was the initial lead to wanting a larger location in the Alamogordo area.
They began by introducing a few online catalogs to their customers in Alamogordo and with several sales under their belt they were starting to find a need for a larger building to house furniture lines their clientele had found interesting. It seemed a big undertaking since the Alamogordo economy was still in a stall mode and was barely starting to see an uptick. “Our faith in being led down the right path is what drove us to not worrying to death about starting such a large undertaking for us,” Javier.
The search for a new building ended when one day they received a flyer by mail on a building less than a quarter mile from the initial location. The building once housed a successful flooring retailer and had just recently been vacated. “I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it,” Gretchen. The idea of the new building would only take hold after the couple noticed that they had maximized the sales possible in their current location. “You can only help so many customers at one time in 15oo sq ft. We were helping three couples at a time often in that space, while it helped us become friends with our customers it did at times limit the time spent with people.”, Javier.
“We prayed and planned and planned and prayed for a good month before we called the owners of the new building,” Javier. Upon meeting the owners of the new building and hearing their willingness to help them move in, Javier and Gretchen pulled the trigger and decided to take that massive leap of faith.
It took three weeks of renovation by the landlords and a week of painting walls by Kenny Lawson, store manager, to get the building to be the gem it is today. The move itself was the easy part, taking only one day. “The real work is coming when the furniture fully arrives,” Javier. The couple plan on offering bedroom sets, living rooms, dinettes, and decor in the new location. They’ve done the research this time and feel like they have their finger on the pulse of what Alamogordo is looking for. “It’s scary at times to think of the increased responsibilities, but I know we can do it!”, Gretchen.
Come down and see the new Sleep Well store for yourself. The same values of helping their customers find the right support for their sleep translates easily to help their customers find the right furnishings for their homes. The prices are real and not gimmicked, the sales are true savings and not just inflated numbers. When you’re looking for a great store to shop, think Sleep Well.
Remember when you Sleep Well, you Live Well.
Javier is the owner of Sleep Well, professionally trained sleep stores, specializing in specific mattresses for specific needs. He lives to give. He is an active member of his community and church. His hard work and efforts pay off for him when he can help others, and give to efforts for the betterment of others.
His spare time is spent with his beautiful wife, Gretchen. They are craft beer hobbyists who enjoy making their own beers, visiting small breweries, and making new friends. Their lives revolve around church, family, exercising, four great dogs, and keeping up with their home in Alamogordo NM.
