At The Sleep Shoppe, Sweet Dreams Are a Way of Life.
Over 30 years ago a young man surprised his wife with a pickup truck, as she stood on the stoop with their two small boys. Naturally she asked "What is this honey?" And smiling his signature grin he replied "Our delivery truck for the new mattress store I'm opening." A testament to their love and level of trust she only blinked once in disbelief before committing to this new adventure. Since then, their family business has not only grown but has thrived, and in the Winter of 2022 they celebrate their 35 year anniversary.
Fred Kunke, the founder and owner, has a warm smile and firm handshake for every customer that he encounters. In every interaction it is obvious that Fred has a deep caring for his customers, listening intently and matching their wants to their needs. He has developed his extensive knowledge about not only the products, but the science of sleep in order to best serve and guide his customers to the right mattress and the best night’s sleep of their life.
Fred Kunke & His Son Jonathan Celebrate Being Voted #1 Mattress Store For 20 Years in a Row
The Sleep Shoppe boasts the largest showrooms in Ventura County, and you can always expect to be impressed when you walk through their doors. Both of their showrooms are equipped with a scientifically advanced system called bedMATCH that was developed by The Sleep to Live institute. BedMatch runs a diagnostic that measures your body and identifies the optimal postural support and pressure relief for you. With these results in hand, it is both easy and fun to find your perfect mattress.
When asked what the most fulfilling part of his job is, you’ll see Fred mist up a little bit, then quickly smile and quip that he must have gotten something in his eye. He will tell you that watching customers come in repeatedly and trusting him to find the right mattress for every milestone is truly rewarding. “We have young newlyweds coming in to find their first bed together, then those same couples return to find the right crib mattress when they are expecting their first bundle of joy. Parents come in looking for beds as their children grow and go off to college, and then those young people come in to find beds for their aging parents. We provide beds for our customer’s loved ones at every age and every stage of their lives.” For Fred, bonding with these families, watching them grow, and seeing them keep coming back to his stores is more than he had ever imagined when he first set out on this journey.
It's not surprising for a family man like this that when asked what his greatest accomplishment in business is over the past 30 years that his response immediately turns to his family. “My son Jonathan has worked side by side with me for the past 17 years, and being able to see him every day and to help him grow into the businessman he has become is so wonderful”, Fred says. “He launched The Sleep Shoppe’s online store, and he and his wife are always coming up with new ideas to implement, some of which have ended up changing our trajectory for the future. We have been voted Ventura County’s #1 mattress store for over 20 years in a row, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. It feels amazing to know that in this increasingly online world, our small family business can continue to thrive”.
Jonathan & Evita Kunke on one of The Sleep Shoppe’s Many Mattresses
The Sleep Shoppe has come a long way since that starry-eyed boy bought his first pick up truck and opened his first tiny storefront. Now, over 30 years later, they are still serving their community with 2 locations under the same family ownership. It is interesting to see the blend between cutting edge technology and that ‘mom and pop’ customer service that has become The Sleep Shoppe’s trademark. They pride themselves on not only providing the easiest mattress buying experience possible, but on having their customers leave feeling like they made a friend. It is easy to see their passion, and to get swept up in their love of what they do. It is no wonder that their slogan is “Shop The Sleep Shoppe and You’ll Be Waking Up Happy” – you have never seen a happier retail team in your life, and their happiness is infectious.