Van Winkle Mattress Company

I decided I wanted a new mattress set on January 25^th. I’m impulsive that way. I called Van Winkle and spoke to Ken, the owner. He told me ‘Come in any time before 6. If you find a mattress you like I’ll see that it’s delivered today’. I came in with my wife that afternoon. We picked out a mattress set and completed the paperwork at 2:23 pm (I checked my receipt). The new set was in my bedroom and my old set was gone by 5. I should mention I live in Chelsea!
Service is a valuable commodity to me. The buying experience was a delight. Low key, knowledgeable Ken answered our questions then said ‘I’ll be up front if you need me’ and left us alone to try every mattress in the house. We finally found one that suited us both. It’s been two weeks and we both love it.
This is a nice little family owned business. I would recommend it to anyone without hesitation.

The customer service at Van Winkle is wonderful. However, we found that the the prices are comparable to other mattress stores where you have 90 days to sleep on a mattress in your home and return or exchange it if it is a poor fit for your quality of sleep. It is really impossible to know if a mattress is for you from resting on it in a showroom.
If you do hit the jackpot and find a perfect mattress for your body and sleep needs (that is free of noxious chemical odors), after a couple of showroom visits that is great. Unfortunately, that was not our luck.
After our mattress was delivered and unwrapped, we immediately noticed it had horrible fumes that filled our bedroom. We were told by Van Winkle to let it «air out». The fumes have not dissapated even after repeatedly airing it out for months. We will no longer sleep on it.
The manufacturer claims that this «off-​gassing» is normal and does not acknowledge this as a viable reason for a refund or replacement. It is Van Winkle’s policy not to refund any mattress purchases for any reason. Therefore, we are out a great deal of money.
It was our desire was to support a local business but in the end it was not the best decision for us. Having to trade good customer service at Van Winkle for a different showroom experience at the mall is unfortunate but the piece of mind we’ll get knowing that if there is a problem we can return the mattress for our money back is worth it.
A mattress is a huge investment for most people and having a money back guarantee acknowledges that.
This was a live and learn experience.

The pricing was very reasonable, and the workers were very polite! The delivery is also same day shipping, and the delivery charge is much cheaper than other furniture stores. Totally recommend this place :)

Very classy and knowledgable a diamond in the rough that was worth finding. Go you won’t be disappointed.

This company was simply great. They answered all my questions in the showroom, and the prices were comparable with Sears etc, if not cheaper. Delivery was prompt, and they helped me set everything up, including cutting slats and installing the frame. Great service!

Bought a headboard here. As the owner says, they’re no pressure sales. Nice people! He walked me around and pointed out the options and how they’re organized. Let me roam, checked back if I needed help. Bought an inexpensive but solid headboard. Loaded in the car in a minute and I’m on my way. No pressure, well made, inexpensive, nice and helpful people. Sweet! Visit this place!

I am visiting my sister and joined her in looking for a new mattress. The young girl that greeted us was just super sweet and pleasant and very knowledgable about their inventory. Even when I asked about a comparable mattress to one that was too costly she knew right away and guided us to 4 different options. It is definitely a family run business and very well run. The owner walked in mid shopping and right away asked if we were being helped and gave the biggest smile. This is how you want to shop for something as personal as a mattress. No hassle or up selling or pushing. They do same day delivery as well!
Fantastic job on a great company!

The staff is very courteous. I ordered a mattress set in the morning and they were able to deliver it later that same day. Overall, it was a great experience and I feel the prices are very reasonable for the quality and service they delivered.

I can’t recommend Van Winkle. We bought a king mattress on our arrival in Ann Arbor thinking that we would support a local merchant. The mattress was lumpy from the beginning but the owner said that it was within the allowed manufacturing limits and not eligible for return. After four years of sleeping on this horrible mattress we are looking for another one. A true waste of money. It is probably good for grad students looking for a cheap deal if you only have to use this mattress for a year or two.

This is a real local family-​run business. When I arrived, two kids were working at the front desk, and their father was busy with another customer. So the older kid (slightly over 10 years old, I guess) offered me a tour in the showroom. I wanted a firm mattress with a box, and the kid knew well about the feature of each mattress. Within 5 minutes, I found a good firm one at the price even lower than IKEA, and the kid helped me checked out with a online coupon. Then my glasses almost fell to the ground when I saw the younger kid, who is much shorter than the mattress, carried it out from the storage room to my truck. I know it is not easy to run a small local business, but they did it very well.

Like so many others I had just moved into town for grad school and was in search of a mattress that was affordable and would last me the length of my program. I chose Van Winkle over a place like Ikea because I shop local when the option is there. That is just about all the place has going for it. Yes, it is a family run business and that is evident from the staff, whom I assumed were daughters of the owner. They were friendly enough, showed me the limited selection of beds and allowed me time on my own to plop down on each one in order to make a decision. I felt like the bed along with a metal frame was overpriced, as it was, and was asking about any sort of discount. Thankfully and appreciatively I was given one, an expired $ 25 off coupon that is talked about on their website but the link doesn’t work. However, I wasn’t expecting what followed, which was a slightly racist rant about people from India and their attempts at negotiation. Having worked in Hostels for over six years I have had the pleasure of experiencing many cultures from throughout the world, and thinking this was going to be a conversation around the interesting intricacies of our worldly cultures, I engaged in the conversation to talk about my experience with people whom come from cultures where negotiating is the norm. While I tried to bring home the point that there are things we do in our culture that when we were in another, say in India, would seem strange to those who are not used to experiencing it — the owner of the shop talked about Christian morals to basically say they are only concerned with money due to their lack of faith. Needless to say, as a man who has plenty of morals in absence of any faith, I was offended. It is nice to shop local, but sometimes supporting the local guy just because they don’t have a whole lot of competition isn’t the greatest thing to do. The bed by Corsicana is cheaply made, it was overpriced, and I had to endure the opinions of the shop owner.

These guys are great. Excellent customer service and pricing. We bought a bed from them a few years back and needed a new boxspring. They worked with us on price and delivered the new one that night!
I send everyone here – it’s such a great local business :)

Amazing service, and quality! Prices are wonderful as well! Van Winkle is the perfect model of a well run, well designed family business. The owner assisted me with a quick tour of the store when I entered and invited me to make myself at home. I did not feel pressured at all to make a purchase nor did I feel rushed, there were a few other guests in the store when I was browsing but Ken and his kids made sure everyone was helped and doing okay. I comfortably was able to try out the beds I was interested in without being disturbed as I wanted to try laying there for a while texting and laying in different positions as I would in bed at home. I compared what I paid for mattress, box spring, and mattress cover online for a similar mattress and the deal at Van Winkle was the same if not better. I’ve had bad experiences buying furniture before but this was easy and I did not feel swindled nor regret my purchase later. Ken and who I believe was his son delivered the mattress a few hours after my purchase, they even adjusted the bed frame I already own to fit the larger king size mattress and put everything together for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and will recommend Van Winkle to anyone looking to purchase a mattress! It’s good to know businesses like this still exist!

This was by far the easiest mattress purchase I have ever made. The owner personally walked my son and I through all the options, answered our questions and then gave us the space we needed to make our choice. The prices here are great, the mattress we wanted was in stock, and it is a locally-​owned business. Check them out!

*moved here for grad school.
*love the family business.
*great service: tied the mattress on top of our car for free.
*great discount

I just moved to Ann Arbor to start grad school in the fall, and Van Winkle made the process easy and delightful! First of all, as many other reviews mention, the salespeople are pleasant and never pushy — I was given an introduction to the different mattresses in my price range (and never even encouraged to spend more than I wanted!) and then left alone to test the mattresses. I asked for and was given a quote that included my mattress set, a headboard, bed frame and delivery. In the course of the day, I was able to find a headboard, footboard, and bed frame at Treasure Mart for a fraction of the cost of a new headboard. Although I was nervous to call Van Winkle and tell them I’d be making a smaller order than originally planned, the owner actually congratulated me on my find! What other business owner would be so kind?
I ordered the mattress too late in the day for same-​day delivery (I actually placed my order fifteen minutes before the store closed), but the mattress was delivered right at 10:30 the next morning, as I requested. The young man who delivered the mattress was happy to place it on the bed frame and to make any adjustments as needed.
I would recommend Van Winkle to anyone. The prices are great and the service was truly outstanding.

My wife loves shopping locally. I like it, but it is super important to her. I love no pressure salesmanship. My wife appreciates it, but I’m the type of person to run out the store to go home and shower when I get smarmy, in your face d-​bags trying to upsell you on a tru-​coat package.
Needless to say, our Van Winkle experience left us both feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Of course in addition to being locally owned and no pressure, the staff was super friendly, the prices low and service was impeccable. I don’t know when I will next need a mattress, but I will be going back to Van Winkle for it. Cheers.

I have been here twice and had two very successful shopping trips, despite having problems show up with both my orders.
The first time I was here, I had just moved to Ann Arbor and needed a mattress and boxspring. I came to Van Winkle, got great service in selecting them (at an awesome price!), and had it delivered the same day. When the delivery truck showed up, however, my apartment decided to be a problem. Apparently it is impossible to get queen boxsprings down to basement apartments in Kerrytown. However, the team at Van Winkle suggested two possible alternatives to a boxspring, went back to the warehouse, and delivered the new bedboard the same day. Not only did I not get charged for the extra delivery work, but the bedboard was cheaper than the boxspring, resulting in a discount from Van Winkle.
The second time I went to Van Winkle was about two weeks ago, when I needed a new futon. I picked one out and paid for it in about 15 minutes, and told the salesman I needed it by a week later, when friends were staying over. A few days later, I got a call saying the futon I ordered would not be available in the time frame I needed it, but that Van Winkle would instead upgrade me to a model that cost about $ 100 more, for free. Even better, they delivered it on a Sunday. And the futon is great quality.
Fabulous service, great shopping experience, quality products. Would definitely go back.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m not a fan of intrusive sales staff; generally, I like to be left alone to wander or figure things out on my own, but especially when mattress shopping (isn’t it awkward, walking around and laying on beds for minutes at a time while someone watches over you like a hawk?). If I have questions, I will go ask. Well, that’s why I liked Van Winkle so much. You walk into the store, get a two-​minute intro to the store’s layout and what is what, and then you’re left alone to do what you please in order to figure out what mattress suits you best.
Now, don’t let this description make it sound like the staff is unhelpful; I did have questions, and when I asked them, I found the guy helping me to be incredibly knowledgeable on pretty much anything mattress-​related. Go ahead, ask some questions at Sears or elsewhere and see if you feel the same way! I’m guessing that will be a «no». That was my experience — the whole reason I sought out Van Winkle was to replace a bad mattress I ordered from Sears, where I found the staff to be less-​than-​stellar. The guy at Van Winkle was very friendly and honest about anything I asked him about.
I walked away from Van Winkle that day with a mattress that I’m quite satisfied with (though admittedly I’ve only used it once so far). They’re capable of doing delivery on the same day you order, in most cases, which is great — I was able to coordinate the pickup of my old mattress and delivery of my new one for the same day, and never had to sleep on the couch!
Last but certainly not least, prices are great! The guy cautioned me that they don’t offer a «comfort guarantee», which helps them keep their prices down, but with his help I left with a mattress I feel confident I wouldn’t want to return anyway. They’re all about helping you get what you need.
My one complaint about Van Winkle, though not significant enough to dock a star from the rating, is this: they leave the heavy-​duty mattress plastic on all of their mattresses in the showroom. It’s a little unsightly, and can make it a little hard to get an accurate feeling for the mattresses — I don’t know if it’s just distracting, or if the added layer interferes significantly in other ways, but in any case, I think it’d be better without them.

Van Winkle’s encapsulates everything you love about a business.
First off they’re extremely friendly — therefore they aren’t the type of store that tries to pressure you into buying a mattress — which I can’t say about other stores that I visited in the area.
Secondly, their prices are competitive. We went to check out five stores in the Ann Arbor area and Van Winkle’s had the lowest prices. Other stores were having their Labor Day sales, but Van Winkle’s was still cheaper. You can’t find the exact same mattresses across stores because they will have a different name at each store, but you can write down the specs and see that this store has the best prices. There might be something cheaper online, but look at the reviews for the website and you will be enlightened by the stories. The review websites make you realize that buying from a brick and mortar shop is totally worth it.
Thirdly, the owner is extremely knowledgeable about the business and will give you an honest assessment of what he thinks you need after listening to you. He never tried selling me something more expensive. At the other stores, I always felt like they were moving me towards a sale. Here though, I felt like I was chatting with someone at a café. It felt like a met a wise man who was just happy to help people learn about getting a better night’s sleep.
This is the type of business that you root for and want in the community for several generations. You should definitely check this place out.