It is something that virtually everyone has but most do not often think about — a mattress. Today, most mattresses are bought from online vendors such as Amazon or from big chain stores like Mattress King, but one Arkansas company was founded at a time when mattresses were mostly handmade, and that company has thrived into the internet age.
Jordan Bedding & Furniture Gallery at 4735 Malvern Road in Hot Springs was started in 1958 by Buddy and Naomi Jordan. Also known as Jordan Mattress, the company was founded in Little Rock out of the couple’s garage on Forbing Road when Buddy started making mattresses to support the family of five. The World War II vet’s mattresses became so sought after that he built a factory showroom to serve his customers. Naomi helped him hand-sew covers.
According to its website, “many of Jordan Bedding customers today still remember their families purchasing mattresses from Buddy and Naomi.”
At first, Buddy’s two sons were reluctant to take over the family business, but in 1981, Robin Jordan opened a factory store in Hot Springs. Buddy trained Robin there to make mattresses deserving of the Jordan name. The Hot Springs location has become the main focus of the business, which still owns the Little Rock factory showroom.
At a time when it seems like nothing is made to last and everything comes from overseas, Jordan stands out for its dedication to handcrafting a quality product with materials sourced in the U.S..
“Because everything is handcrafted and put in place, we pay more attention to quality,” said Shanna Jordan, who owns the company with her husband, Robin. “We stand by our products. We have an outstanding reputation because of taking care of our customers and being around so long and the quality.”
The company sources almost everything from the United States, including foam from Oklahoma City and cotton from Texas. The Jordans craft everything from pillowtop, memory foam and talalay latex to the Heirloom Collection and adjustable beds. Jordan still makes two-sided innerspring mattresses that can be turned periodically to prolong the life of the product.
The showroom also offers a selection of bedroom and living room furniture.
Now entering the company’s third generation, Robin and Shanna are training their daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Ryan Callender. Robin is mostly retired but is still hands on with the company’s orders, consulting and making sure employees are trained up to the standards that Jordan Bedding is known for. The couple maintains a concentration on making a good product and teaching the business to the next generation in the hopes they will keep it going for many years to come.
Rachel Callender, left, and Shanna Jordan represent the second and third generations to continue the family-owned business.
“If you make a cheap product, eventually, you start losing customers,” Shanna said.
She said Jordan has gone through the ups and downs of the industry and has outlasted many of its competitors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company saw a rise in sales because people stuck at home wanted high-quality mattresses. Since the pandemic ended, the market has seen a minor decline. She said many of Jordan’s competitors have “fallen by the wayside.”
“People are starting to want better quality,” she said. “If we had lessened what we put in our beds or made it cheaper, then we wouldn’t keep our reputation.”
A small operation, only six people work in the store, doing construction and sales.
Jordan Bedding & Furniture Gallery has provided high-quality, handmade mattresses in central Arkansas since 1958.
Some clients include the local hospitality industry. Jordan mattresses have been featured at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, the Waters Hot Springs, Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa, SunBay Resort, Best Court Cottages and several other luxury resorts and higher-end hotels in and around Hot Springs.
“That helps us too,” Jordan said. “People stay on the beds. Sometimes we don’t make as much money on those, but then people come in and stay and say, ‘Hey, I want this mattress,’ and they call.”
In addition to making standard beds for homes and hotels, they make custom size mattresses for antique bed frames or special sizes for recreational vehicles and house boats.
For more information, visit jordanbedding.com or call 501-262-1581.
