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Sleep Country USA is famously known for its award-winning jingle “Why Buy a Mattress Anywhere Else? (ding)."<ref name="sleep country jingle">{{cite news|last=Levesque|first=John|title=Sleep Country jingle has been waking up the Northwest for 18 years|date=August 9, 2009|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Sleep-Country-jingle-has-been-waking-up-the-1305868.php|accessdate=July 10, 2011}}</ref>
Sleep Country USA is famously known for its award-winning jingle “Why Buy a Mattress Anywhere Else? (ding)."<ref name="sleep country jingle">{{cite news|last=Levesque|first=John|title=Sleep Country jingle has been waking up the Northwest for 18 years|date=August 9, 2009|newspaper=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Sleep-Country-jingle-has-been-waking-up-the-1305868.php|accessdate=July 10, 2011}}</ref>


In October 2010, Sleep Country USA became one of few companies nationwide to implement an [[Employee Stock Ownership Plan]]n (ESOP).<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Jeanne Lang|title=Sleep Country USA shifting to worker ownership|date=October 22, 2010|newspaper=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]]|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2010/10/22/sleep-country-usa-shifting-to-worker.html?page=all|accessdate=May 30, 2012}}</ref>The plan allows all qualified employees to benefit from the company’s growth and prosperity by obtaining shares of the company at no cost to them. The ESOP plan is a benefit to employees in addition to the company’s existing 401(k) plan. ESOP’s are established to inspire a sense of ownership in the company within employees, enabling them to strive for a common goal of success, which in turn benefits them upon retirement. Sleep Country USA employees currently own more than 25% of the company.
In October 2010, Sleep Country USA became one of few companies nationwide to implement an [[Employee Stock Ownership Plan]] (ESOP).<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Jeanne Lang|title=Sleep Country USA shifting to worker ownership|date=October 22, 2010|newspaper=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]]|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/print-edition/2010/10/22/sleep-country-usa-shifting-to-worker.html?page=all|accessdate=May 30, 2012}}</ref>The plan allows all qualified employees to benefit from the company’s growth and prosperity by obtaining shares of the company at no cost to them. The ESOP plan is a benefit to employees in addition to the company’s existing 401(k) plan. ESOP’s are established to inspire a sense of ownership in the company within employees, enabling them to strive for a common goal of success, which in turn benefits them upon retirement. Sleep Country USA employees currently own more than 25% of the company.


==Philanthropy==
==Philanthropy==
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''Company''
''Company''
* ''Seattle Business’'' Best Companies to Work For
* ''Seattle Business’'' Best Companies to Work For, 2012 <ref>''Seattle Business'' [http://seattlebusinessmag.com/sites/seattlebusinessmag.com/files/2012BestCos.pdf / The 100 best companies (PDF)]. Retrieved June 28, 2012.</ref>
* ''Seattle Business’'' Best Companies to Work For, 2011
* ''Furniture Today’s'' Top 100 Furniture Stores
* ''Furniture Today’s'' Top 100 Furniture Stores
* ''Washington CEO’s'' Best Place to Work
* ''Washington CEO’s'' Best Place to Work

Revision as of 22:20, 28 June 2012

Sleep Country USA
Company typePrivate
IndustryMattress Retailer
Founded1991
FounderSunny Kobe Cook and Robert Cook
Headquarters
Headquartered in Kent, Washington
Area served
Pacific Northwest
Key people
Founder/CEO: Dale Carlsen; COO: Rob Killgore; CFO: Pete DiCorti
ProductsBrand name mattress sets from Beautyrest, Sealy Mattress Company, Posturepedic, Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, and Serta (company) iComfort; Foundations, moveable beds, daybeds and convertibles; Mattress accessories
Number of employees
420+
Websitewww.sleepcountry.com

Sleep Country USA is a bedding retailer in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 80 mattress stores in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Founded in 1991 by Sunny Kobe Cook and Robert Cook, Sleep Country USA stores stores carry mattresses manufactured by Beautyrest, Sealy Mattress Company, Posturepedic, Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, and Serta (company) iComfort. Sleep Country also carries headboards by Fashion Bed Group and Modus International, as well as a variety of bedding accessories including Protect-A-Bed. The company headquarters are in Kent, Washington.

Company History

Exterior of Sleep Country USA store

Sunny Kobe Cook and Robert Cook founded Sleep Country USA in 1991 as a specialty sleep store chain.[1] It started with 8 stores and approximately 25 employees in Washington.[2] In March 2000, New York-based Fenway Partners Inc. acquired Sleep Country from Robert Cook and Sunny Kobe Cook.[3] In 2003, Fenway Partners sold Sleep Country USA to the Atlanta-based Simmons Company. In August 2006, The Sleep Train, Inc. purchased the then-55-store Sleep Country USA Pacific Northwest chain from Simmons for $55m.[4]

Sleep Country USA is famously known for its award-winning jingle “Why Buy a Mattress Anywhere Else? (ding)."[5]

In October 2010, Sleep Country USA became one of few companies nationwide to implement an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).[6]The plan allows all qualified employees to benefit from the company’s growth and prosperity by obtaining shares of the company at no cost to them. The ESOP plan is a benefit to employees in addition to the company’s existing 401(k) plan. ESOP’s are established to inspire a sense of ownership in the company within employees, enabling them to strive for a common goal of success, which in turn benefits them upon retirement. Sleep Country USA employees currently own more than 25% of the company.

Philanthropy

Sleep Country Foster Kids Program Donation Bin

Dating back to its founding in 1991, Sleep Country USA’s company philosophy has included a commitment to give back to its community. In 2005, Sleep Country created the Sleep Country Foster Kids program to join forces with specific and targeted foster charity organizations[7] and the community to help the Pacific Northwest’s nearly 20,000 foster children. Through advertising and public relations awareness, the collection and distribution of important material items like clothing, shoes, pajamas, coats, school supplies, gifts, and cash donations, Sleep Country’s Foster Kids Program has successfully delivered nearly 449,000 items and more than $490,000 in cash to these organizations.[8]

Since 2006, the company has hosted an annual Sleep Country Pajama Bowl event to bring the community together and provide a fun way for families, individuals and businesses to lend a helping hand to local foster children in need. 100% of funds raised to participate in the Pajama Bowl go to supporting essential services and resources for foster children and their families as well as special experiences they might otherwise miss out on, such as music lessons, team sports or even reuniting with a sibling at summer camp. To date, the Pajama Bowl events have raised more than $476,000 for Pacific Northwest Foster Children.[9]

Sponsorship

Sleep Country is a current sponsor of two Live Nation music venues: Sleep Country Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Washington and White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington.

Recognition & Awards

Sleep Country USA accepts Corporate Citizen award for its Foster Kids Program

Sleep Country USA has been recognized by its industry and community with the following awards:[10]

Community

  • Puget Sound Business Journal’s Top Corporate Philanthropist
  • Puget Sound Business Journal’s Healthy Community Corporate Champion for Basic Needs
  • Points of Light Institute’s Daily Point of Light Award
  • Puget Sound Business Journal and The Seattle Foundation’s Top 75 Corporate Philanthropists
  • Puget Sound Business Journal’s Healthy Community Corporate Champions Honorable Mention
  • Treehouse Community Partner of the Year Award
  • Snohomish County Children's Commission Award
  • Oregon Foster Parent Association Appreciation
  • Compass Health Appreciation
  • Foster Family Care Network Appreciation
  • Kids Dream Appreciation
  • Washington State Department of Social & Health Services Appreciation

Company

  • Seattle Business’ Best Companies to Work For, 2012 [11]
  • Seattle Business’ Best Companies to Work For, 2011
  • Furniture Today’s Top 100 Furniture Stores
  • Washington CEO’s Best Place to Work
  • Seattle Business’ Best Place to Work
  • Kent Chamber of Commerce - Pursuit of Excellence Award

References

  1. ^ "Sleep Country USA marks 20 years". Bed Times. July. 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Sleep Country Celebrates 20th Year Anniversary Sleep Country website. Retrieved May 30, 2012
  3. ^ Goldfield, Robert (September 7, 2003). "Simmons selling region's biggest mattress retailers". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  4. ^ "Simmons selling Sleep Country for $55M". Puget Sound Business Journal. July 6, 2006. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  5. ^ Levesque, John (August 9, 2009). "Sleep Country jingle has been waking up the Northwest for 18 years". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  6. ^ Jones, Jeanne Lang (October 22, 2010). "Sleep Country USA shifting to worker ownership". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  7. ^ Foster Kids Partners Sleep Country website. Retrieved May 30, 2012
  8. ^ Musazy, Atia (April 18, 2012). "Sleep Country's Foster Kids Program brings employees together". Seattle Times. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  9. ^ Pajama Bowl History Sleep Country's Pajama Bowl website. Retrieved May 30, 2012
  10. ^ Awards Sleep Country website. Retrieved May 30, 2012
  11. ^ Seattle Business / The 100 best companies (PDF). Retrieved June 28, 2012.