Supply chain delays have been a fallout of pandemic impacts for various industries.
It has been a significant culprit of the ballooning prices of groceries in the Sea to Sky region, yet supply chain issues also affected a Squamish mattress business which resulted in a massive rebranding.
What was once known as Unstoppable Comfort Mattress Outlet is currently in the process of being reborn as DreamLife Luxury Mattresses.
Still located on Government Road next to the Shady Tree Pub, owners Stephanie McNeil and Rick Lindley said these supply chain issues led them to rethink how they could operate the business.
“When COVID hit, we had some real supply chain issues with massive price increases,” said McNeil. “We had major shipping delays … it would take a couple of months to get here.”
They decided a change was necessary and therefore, they changed manufacturers. The mattress manufacturer that they are now working with is called Restwell and is located in the Lower Mainland.
“We have a lot more control over the quality and supply chain and service,” said McNeil.
Part of what drew them to the new manufacturer, said Lindley, was how the mattresses were made.
“Every component is made right here in B.C. So if there ever is another shutdown, we won’t have those trucking issues, we won’t have those problems,” Lindley said. “And they’re really [a] health-conscious factory.”
McNeil said the mattresses used soy-based foam and the coils are made out of recycled steel. Moreover, McNeil said the manufacturer has a provincial partnership called the Forest for Tomorrow program, where they replace the wood used in production by planting trees.
Even with these major changes, McNeil said they’ve fortunately been able to keep prices similar.
“We’ve improved the quality, but we’ve kept our prices very consistent,” she said.
Part of keeping costs consistent stems from focusing on volume instead of profit and being able to add clients from the hospitality industry, both McNiel and Lindley explained, meaning local customers can reap the benefits.
“We’re ordering such a high volume that everybody gets the same deal,” McNeil said.
McNeil explained that all these changes allowed her to quit her old job and focus on the business. Lindley also was able to consolidate his work to focus on the business.
“We now are just putting all our energy into this,” Lindley said. “It’s kind of the best thing we could do.”
“I worked in commercial real estate before, and I never thought I’d get excited about mattresses,” McNeil said with a laugh.
But, she added that business has “been better” since they’ve both been able to focus on it, and she called being on the other side of the supply chain delays a “massive relief.”
And, if any loyal customers were wondering, their recognizable dinosaur will be incorporated into their new logo.
“Everybody asks what’s with the dinosaur,” said McNeil. “It’s done really well and so we had to keep [it].”
For more information about the new business visit DreamLifeBeds.com or stop by their storefront on Government Road.
Editor's note: This story is part of The Squamish Chief’s pilot project business beat. This is a journalism piece and therefore no financial or other benefit came to the paper or reporter to feature the company. To be considered, email [email protected].
