Bringing the Showroom Home

Shopping for her son Jack’s first bed when he was two-years-old, Southington resident Liz Barnum found herself filled with frustration. She went store-to-store, scouring the region for the right bed for her baby boy and walked away with nothing but a headache.

That was when Barnum, now 35, first decided it was time to open her own business.

“It was a nightmare. It felt like I had shopped at every store possible and there was nothing that served my need. It was like I had packed up my children and gone out for nothing,” Barnum said.

That’s why Barnum, who lives off of South End Road in Plantsville, decided it was time to open up , a mattress and bed store that uses a mobile showroom to bring bedding products to their customers and allow them to decide what they need in the comfort on their own front yard.

The company, which is owned by Barnum and operated with the assistance of her husband Ken, 37, officially opened their doors, or rather “mobile showroom,” in October.

Barnum and her husband said although the business is still very new, they are already seeing a growing interest in their products. Using a variety of established mattresses and bedding products that have been available for the last 40-years, area residents have the opportunity to select items that meet a wide range of budget needs.

Local resident Courtney Peluso, who brought At Home Mattress to a , said she has been impressed by the unique service that the company provides. Each purchase comes with a specially made tag for the person who will be using the bed.

“It is a great concept and the products are worth buying. This isn’t just a business run out of a trailer – they offer only new items and the products are high quality,” she said in an earlier interview.

The business currently serves residents in Southington, Cheshire, Wolcott, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, Farmington, Plainville, Newington, New Britain and West Hartford.

Liz Barnum said the long-term goal is to expand their business to include branches throughout the northeast, but for now she and her husband and focused on establishing strong name recognition and working to make sure every customer is happy with their service.

“I still remember the first time I bought a brand new bed and how comfortable it was to get in it, how good I felt," Barnum said. "That's an experience we want all our customers to share."

Appointments are necessary and can be made through the At Home Mattress website. Barnum said occasional appointments would also be made outside the area.