Sleep Country has unveiled a groundbreaking retail concept in South Edmonton Common, marking the company’s first multi-brand store combining Silk & Snow and Endy.
It’s part of a bigger strategy to combine different banners across the country as well as expanding its footprint including more Sleep Country and The Rest stores in Canada.
“We’ve had that (Sleep Country) store in the Edmonton mall forever. It’s always been a great store for us,” said Stewart Schaefer, President and CEO of Sleep Country Canada. The innovative approach arose serendipitously when two neighboring stores closed, creating an opportunity for Sleep Country to test a multi-brand format. “The landlord reached out, and I said, well, interestingly enough, I wanted to test a combo store. So let’s do it out there.”
Sleep Country operates under the retailer banners; Sleep Country Canada, Dormez-vous, The Rest, Endy, Silk & Snow, Hush and Casper Canada with more than 300 locations.
Expanding Consumer Choice in Brick-and-Mortar
This new retail strategy aims to integrate Sleep Country’s online direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands into tactile shopping environments. “We’re testing our DTC concept, which just seems to be going really well,” Schaefer explained. “We’re choosing locations if the opportunity presents itself because you have to have the real estate near some of our best stores.”
The Edmonton location houses Silk & Snow and Endy while maintaining a separate Sleep Country store nearby.
“So when a consumer shops, it makes it a lot easier.”
This setup reflects Schaefer’s vision of mimicking online shopping dynamics within physical stores. “When you go online and search something, right away on Google it pops up one, two, and three choices. That’s now what I’m trying to do in a retail brick-and-mortar environment. Giving our customers as much choice. We’re agnostic. We want the customer to be happy. We don’t care which one of our brands that they shop at.”
Innovative Store Concepts Across Canada
The Edmonton store is part of a broader national rollout. “We’re testing right now in Halifax, a Casper and Endy combination,” Schaefer said. Additional concepts include a Silk & Snow and Hush store-within-a-store format in Montreal inside a Dormez-vous and a cluster of standalone Sleep Country, Casper, and Endy stores in Toronto’s CF Sherway Gardens Mall. Looking ahead, Vancouver will have Silk & Snow and Endy combination store in March.
Customer-Centric Approach Driving Success
By strategically locating these multi-brand stores near existing Sleep Country outlets, the company aims to provide consumers with seamless and abundant options.
This approach resonates with consumers who appreciate the convenience of exploring diverse products under one roof. “Combining these stores close together just makes it even more of a choice for a consumer so that there’s no reason they can’t find what they need for their sleep needs within those stores.”
A Long-Term Perspective in a Timeless Industry
As Sleep Country celebrates its 30th anniversary, Schaefer remains optimistic about the future.
“There’s six new locations that we’re going to be opening up across the country,” he said. “There’s probably be four to six new test stores of our digital brands.
“We just celebrated our 30th year anniversary. We’re in the world of sleep which is never going out of style and we don’t manage our business based on ups and downs and cycles. This is not a bullish or bearish bet on the economy. This is exactly what we’ve done for 30 years. Remember the cycle of someone buying a bed from us is once every eight to 10 years. We’re very long-term thinkers especially in the world of retail where fashion changes monthly or even quarterly.
“We’re here to stay and continue to do what we do best. We don’t look at the economic cycles.’
Ultra-Luxury with “The Rest”
Another exciting addition to Sleep Country’s portfolio is “The Rest,” a high-end concept targeting the top 1% of consumers. Located in Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, this store features premium products, including beds priced between $5,000 and $20,000, crafted with materials like horsehair and alpaca wool.
“As our business continues to evolve, Sleep Country is almost like the supermarket of all the different brands that you’re familiar with and you know . . . That’s how you should think of Sleep Country and Dormez-vous. Now there’s these fabulous digital brands that started in the digital world like Casper, Endy and Hush and those are a bit of a younger demographic but a combination of all different ages. A lot of people love shopping online but a lot of these customers have asked to test the product. So it’s really our customers who are asking for that,” said Schaefer.
“When you think of The Rest, that’s the top 1%. So far it’s going well. Maybe six to 10 stores in Canada (eventually). There will be one in Calgary, one in Edmonton, maybe two in Vancouver, one or two in Montreal and probably a couple in Toronto. That’s for the high-end consumer who wants just the extreme in luxury.”
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