Episode 14: The Case of the Multiplying Mattress Firms

Before the days of online retailers, there were mattress stores. A lot of them. Right across the street from each other. Often empty.  Usually owned by the same company.

Why were there so many Mattress Firms? Why were they so close to one another? Could the stores be a front for an illicit money laundering scheme? 

Was it just a weird marketing strategy, or was there something more sinister behind it?

Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/7s36ub/what_conspiracy_theory_do_you_100_buy_into_and_why/dt215gv/

https://thenextweb.com/distract/2018/01/22/this-mysterious-conspiracy-theory-about-mattresses-is-everything-we-love-about-reddit/

http://www.berkshirepartners.com/mattress-firm-announces-proposed-changes-to-its-board-of-directors

https://www.vault.com/company-profiles/retail/mattress-firm#:~:text=Company%20Background,11%20bankruptcy%20in%20late%202018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattress_Firm

https://kfor.com/news/why-are-there-so-many-mattress-stores-and-how-do-they-stay-in-business/

http://www.berkshirepartners.com/steinhoff-completes-tender-offer-for-outstanding-shares-of-mattress-firm

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-chicago-mattress-stores-0717-biz-20160715-story.html

https://boisedev.com/news/2016/6/21/boise-dev-mattress-firm-retail/

https://www.businessinsider.com/mattress-firm-conspiracy-grows-after-accounting-problems-2018-1

https://www.businessinsider.com/mattress-firm-closes-stores-conspiracy-theory-2018-10

https://media.thinknum.com/articles/mattress-firm-stores-proximity/

https://www.scribd.com/document/389077330/Mattress-Firm-lawsuit-against-Levy-Vinson-Deitch-et-al

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/mattress-store-bubble/

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/7s36ub/what_conspiracy_theory_do_you_100_buy_into_and_why/dt215gv/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/06/business/mattress-firm-bankruptcy-casper/index.html

https://qz.com/1416087/mattress-firm-bankruptcy-shows-americans-hate-mattress-shopping/

https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/why-there-are-so-many-mattress-stores-everywhere-in-texas/

https://www.chron.com/business/retail/article/Mattress-Firm-sues-bed-in-a-box-competitor-for-12285703.php

https://www.steinhoffinternational.com/who-we-are-and-what-we-do.php

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-steinhoff-intln-accounts/pwc-investigation-finds-7-4-billion-accounting-fraud-at-steinhoff-company-says-idUSKCN1QW2C2

https://www.cnbcafrica.com/insights/steinhoff/2018/06/28/steinhoff-rise-fall/

https://www.accountingtoday.com/articles/steinhoff-pays-for-pwc-to-help-south-african-police-graft-probe

https://www.steinhoffinternational.com/downloads/2018/Restatement-of-financial-statements-of-subsidiary-companies-2Jan2018.pdf

https://www.news24.com/fin24/Companies/Retail/a-steinhoff-guide-for-dummies-20171208

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