Streetwise: Factory-direct mattress, furniture store opens in Fond du Lac

FOND DU LAC -  Fond du Lac has a new place to get mattresses and furniture at discount prices.

BoxDrop Mattress & Furniture Direct of Fond du Lac opened its doors N6451 S. Pioneer Road at the end of 2018. The store is part of a nationwide buying group which includes more than 300 stores and allows owners to buy product at volume prices, said Ron LaFave, who owns the stores in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, with his wife, Amy.

The LaFaves first got in the business a year and a half ago when they opened a store in Eagle River and started with 10 mattresses. Finding it was “an effective business model,” they then moved into 4,000-square-foot showroom in Sheboygan, before coming to Fond du Lac in 2018 as both cities were markets untapped by the business.

Inside the 4,400-square-foot space is a variety of furniture and more more than 30 types of mattresses from flippable, to memory foam, pillow top and adjustable. Brands include Serta Upholstery, United Furniture, Simmons Beauty Rest, Sealy, Parker House Furniture and more.

“We have a wide variety of mattresses that we feel can accommodate 99 percent of the people out there,” said LaFave.

Products are bought factory-direct and sold in non-traditional retail areas, which allows the savings to be passed onto the shoppers, said LaFave. On mattresses, this discount can be from 50 to 80 percent off retail prices. The goal is to have an item for every budget, he said, with mattresses starting at $150 and coming with a factory warranty.

The store also sells closeouts and discounted mattresses from businesses, including luxury mattress makers. Others come from businesses that are going out of businesses. The only mattresses that are not fully new are those demo models, which are used in store for testing purposes, but have not been previously sold for others to use, said LaFave.

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Open from Tuesday through Saturday in Fond du Lac, the business also offers appointments — and encourages them. Scheduling appointments allows a shopper to have one-on-one time with one of the two employees at the location, as well as to come at a time convenient to them. If a customer cannot come during normal business hours, accommodations can be made said LaFave.

The appointment are just one way the business tries to offer a positive experience for customers. Customer service is key to success, said LaFave, and the staff seeks to create good impressions repeatedly with customers, as one bad impression can lead to a bad reputation.

“We try to have what people really want and not jam them into something that doesn’t fit them. It’s not about making a sale. It’s a providing a better night’s sleep to people and that’s how you have a better business,” he said.

Have a tip or a question for Streetwise? Let Sarah Razner know by calling 920-907-7909 or emailing srazner@gannett.com.

BoxDrop Mattress & Furniture Direct of Fond du Lac

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. At the end of January, the store will begin opening at 10 a.m.

To schedule an appointment, call 920-266-9091.