COLORADO SPRINGS — After more than a quarter century in business, Bob's Discount Mattresses is closing its doors for good. The owner blames inflation, high-interest rates, and an increasing cost of living.
"Yeah, the economy has finally got us," the owner of Bob's Discount Mattresses Bob Weikel told me.
Weikel says 8 stores around town shrunk to 6, then 5,4,3,2, and the remaining last store on North Academy and Vickers. He says he got into the mattress business to offer as much as he could to customers.
"I worked for other mattress companies in town before that, and I saw how they were... not taking care of their customers, let's say, with prices and stuff like that, and I thought I could do a better job," said Weikel.
Trip Uhalt bought a bed from Bob's Discount Mattress earlier this year, and was shocked when he found out the store would be closing.
"Wow, you know, Bobs' been a staple here in the community for a long time," said Uhalt.
Weikel tells me that over the last few months, customers have been coming in less and less. He blames a lack of disposable income from them, citing problems with the economy.
"I think it's mainly because people don't have money. When you go to the gas pumps, if you go to the grocery stores, if you buy anything, you're spending more money, and people just don't have the money," he said.
"Plus people aren't buying houses right now because interest rates are too high, and normally when they buy new houses they buy new mattresses, so it's a little bit of everything".
Uhalt isn't surprised to hear about these struggles and has faced them himself as well.
"The economy these days, groceries costing twice, three times what they used to cost, and mortgage rates being up to huge percentages, 8% now, people are not buying what they used to be doing, disposable income is not there," he said.
For now, Weikel is working to support his remaining 5 employees as they search for new jobs, and plans to sell all of his current stock before closing on November 14th.
He wants to thank the community that has supported him through thick and thin and has one last message for his customers.
"Thank you. Thank you very much. We really appreciate you, and without you, we wouldn't have been here that long," said Weikel.
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