Simmons Bedding Company and Steinhafels, one of the fastest-growing furniture and mattress retailers in the Midwest, this month surprised firefighters at Station 2 in the Countryside Fire Protection District with new living, dining and bedroom furniture in honor of their ongoing service to the local community. View Video Here.

“We wanted to thank our local firefighters during Fire Prevention Week for the important service they provide to the community,” said Gary Steinhafel, President and CEO of Steinhafels. “Not only do they risk their lives to protect fellow citizens, they also spend countless hours on educational outreach to help prevent emergencies. We’re honored to help create a comfortable place for these heroes to relax and unwind.”
 

With the help of Countryside’s fire chief, Jeff Steingart, and its public education coordinator, Anthony Rodkey, representatives from Steinhafels and Simmons made the surprise delivery on Monday, Oct. 10 while the firefighters were at an off-site training, scheduled to keep them away from the fire station and the surprise under wraps. Steinhafels enhanced the comfort and functionality of the station’s day room with two new recliners, an end table to store remotes and magazines, a pub table and chairs for games and reading as well as three updated kitchen table and chair sets. With classic styles and durable finishes, the furniture will serve the station for years to come.

Simmons Bedding Company helped firefighters who “work hot” to “sleep cool” through a donation of 12 new mattresses and foundations from its redesigned ComforPedic Loft™ memory foam mattress collection. Featuring Simmons® NxG® Memory Foam, the new line introduces a revolutionary AirCool™ Sleep System designed to provide a cool, comfortable and supportive sleep experience. It also features a mesh border that promotes airflow and breathability, along with a cooling Transflexion™ Core for extra support and additional heat dissipation.
 

“ComforPedic has a strong commitment to giving back to the communities in which we operate, and we’re proud to be able to give back to Vernon Hills,” said Anne Kozel, Simmons’ Specialty Sleep brand director. “This dedicated team of firefighters works long, hot hours, and we’re proud to help give them the cool, comfortable night’s sleep they deserve.”
 

In August, Steinhafels, Wisconsin’s leading furniture and mattress retailer, opened its first out-of-state store in Vernon Hills, IL. The 101,000 square foot, state-of-the-art super store occupies the former EXPO Design Center in the Marketplace Shopping Center and is the largest store of its kind in Lake County and second largest in Chicagoland.
 

The Vernon Hills fire station makeover is part of a nationwide initiative from Simmons in connection with the company’s 20-week ComforPedic Loft™ road show tour, a mobile showroom traveling more than 10,000 miles to visit 35 retailers across the country. Station 2 in the Countryside Fire Protection District is the second of five fire stations around the U.S. to receive a mattress makeover from Simmons and a local retail partner.

 

Simmons Bedding Company's ComforPedic® Advanced NxG® Memory Foam mattress line arrives in Los Angeles this week for the 2011 GBK Emmy Awards Gift Lounge. Participating in the pre-Emmy Awards celebrity gift lounge, which benefits charities Art of Elysium and CancerCare, allows ComforPedic to raise brand awareness and further its continued commitment to philanthropic programs.

"We're thrilled to be back in Hollywood and introducing the ComforPedic brand to this unique, impactful group of people," said Scott Smalling, president of Simmons' Specialty Sleep division. "Celebrity alignment has consistently allowed us to strengthen the ComforPedic brand and simultaneously give back to charities across the country."

Celebrities are invited to visit the ComforPedic by Simmons lounge space at the W Hollywood from September 16-17 and to test out a ComforPedic® Mystic® mattress set on Simmons' adjustable NuFlex™ Foundation.

"Thanks to our ComforPedic® Advanced NxG® Memory Foam, designed to respond quickly to movements and dissipate heat through improved airflow, our products help provide a restful night's sleep at an ideal sleeping temperature," said Anne Kozel, Simmons' Specialty Sleep brand director.

For each celebrity photographed with one of these ComforPedic® products, Simmons will donate $100, totaling up to $7,500, to Art of Elysium, a non-profit that provides artistic workshops with actors, artists and musicians for critically-ill children. Visiting celebrities will also receive a ComforPedic® Free Spirit™ pillow, and select presenters and nominees will receive a ComforPedic® Mystic® mattress set.

"ComforPedic products have been a huge hit in Hollywood," said Smalling. "Since we attended GBK's pre-Oscar gift lounge, numerous celebrities including William Shatner, Tony Shalhoub and Emmy Awards host, Jane Lynch, are enjoying a better night's sleep on a ComforPedic mattress."

Additionally, the brand was featured at this week's L.A. Confidential Magazine & The Art of Elysium Party, held Thursday at the London Hotel in West Hollywood. Simmons donated a ComforPedic® Mystic® mattress set for the rooftop soiree's silent auction to benefit Art of Elysium.

"Art of Elysium is an incredible organization that's brightening the lives of children battling serious medical conditions," said Smalling. "We're delighted to help fund such an important cause that offers creative outlets for these remarkable kids."

To learn more, visit www.ComforPedic.com, and to make a donation to Art of Elysium, click here.

ComforPedic Loft with the AirCool Sleep System U.S. Tour travels 10,000 miles to bring the showroom to retailers across America looking to cut costs.

Simmons Bedding Company today launched the ComforPedic Loft™ line with the AirCool™ Sleep System U.S. Tour, a “showroom on wheels” that will travel cross-country. The tour, which kicked off in Indianapolis, will travel more than 10,000 miles in a span of 20 weeks to visit retailers in 35 cities across America. With the current housing market, furniture retailers are feeling the effects of today’s economy and are looking for new ways to cut costs like Market trade shows where furniture retailers typically travel twice annually to view new furnishings industry trends and select product. As an alternative, Simmons is bringing the showroom to their dealers across the U.S.
 
“We wanted to fundamentally change the way we do business with retailers in the face of these difficult economic times,” said Scott Smalling, president of Simmons Specialty Sleep division. “By bringing our product to retailers that didn’t attend Market, we’re able to maintain those relationships and save our dealers valuable dollars.”
 
Building on the success of the ComforPedic Loft™ 2009 tour, this year’s 18-wheeler showroom is wrapped with images of the new line to expose consumers to the collection and to help introduce the roadshow as it approaches cities on its route. On location, Smalling and Butch Webster, vice president of Simmons’ Specialty Sleep division, will help train dealers and sales associates on the best ways to showcase the new line. As part of an internal effort, the tour will also stop at Simmons factories across the U.S. to train and inspire team members on the quality of the collection.  
 
The roadshow will feature Simmons Bedding Company’s new ComforPedic Loft™ collection which introduces a revolutionary, patent-pending AirCool™ Sleep System that combines innovative design and multiple technology components to provide an ultimate, individualized sleep experience that is cool, supportive and comfortable. The beds’ components work together to provide an optimal sleeping temperature, heat dissipation and a cooling sensation at a price range of $1,499 - $2,999.
 
“Our ComforPedic Loft line offers retailers a chance to provide their customers revolutionary memory foam technology at attainable price points,” said Smalling. “Retailers have the benefit of offering customers cutting-edge designs while still keeping costs down. In the end, it’s about offering our retailers accessibility and value.”