Broker-Turned-Biz Owner Pioneers Sleep Chain’s First LI Location

Anthony Rizzo, owner of America’s Mattress, is pioneering the company’s expansion, opening its first Long Island location in Huntington village late last month. Long Islander News photos/Janee Law

By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com

 A Wall Street broker turned business owner is pioneering a sleep specialty chain’s expansion to Long Island, opening the region’s first location in Huntington village late last month.

Anthony Rizzo, owner of the America’s Mattress location, said the company is owned by Serta Simmons, but that he was able to open his own independently operated store through a license agreement.

Rizzo said his store specializes in adding a personal touch to its quality customer service.

“We can give them a good deal and we can fit them in the bed that’s right for them,” Rizzo said of customers at his sleep specialty shop.

Twenty mattresses are shown at the 357 New York Ave. store, and Rizzo sets out to make the shopping process less stressful by offering the “Sleep Simple” process. The system evaluates sleeping patterns and calculates a bed suitable for one’s needs.

Rizzo, 55, of New Hyde Park, said, “When you go into another store it’s overwhelming, so we try to simplify that process.”

A fresh face in the mattress industry, Rizzo said his goal is to bring an honest and open approach to the way mattresses are sold.

He previously worked for more than 25 years as a commodities broker for the New York Board of Trade, but resigned after the initiation of electronic trading. With the support of his wife and two daughters, he decided to take on a different career path that would make him happy, and bring joy to others.

That career change culminated with a soft opening at America’s Mattress in Huntington on Dec. 26. Rizzo said he hopes to host an official grand opening ceremony by the end of January.

The 2,500-square-foot showroom displays a variety of brands, including Beautyrest Black, Beautyrest Silver, Beautyrest Hybrid and iComfort. Its collection of high-quality innerspring support options range from all-foam, continuous coal designs and individually wrapped coils. In addition, the mattress shop also offers a variety of advanced comfort features, such as foam encasement, gentle support foam and cradle foam GL gel memory foam.

Prices vary, with Queen-size beds and box springs starting at $299 and running through $2,999.

One of the top-sellers, Rizzo said, is the adjustable bed base, which is sold separately from the mattress itself. The Zero Gravity bed base can make adjustments to lift the back or legs, as a way to take pressure off the spine and small of the back.

“The biggest change in the mattress business is people now are more concerned with their health — they want to have a healthier night’s sleep,” Rizzo said. “Without good sleep, you’re not working as hard and your brain is not functioning.”

With the first Long Island location of America’s Mattress now up and running, Rizzo said he plans to introduce the company’s business model to the rest of the island.

“My goals are to open up another store every six months,” he said. “I also want to give people a better understanding of sleep and its value.”