The Harbor Springs Mattress Company has been proudly hand-crafting mattresses in Northern Michigan for more than 14 years. In fact, it’s one of only a few mattress companies in the U.S. that still hand tuft mattresses.
Rory Karpathian owns the shop along with Dar Charlebois. Karpathian has a long history working for major mattress manufacturers but was dissatisfied with the level of craftsmanship and the materials used by big corporations. “Most mattresses must be replaced within three to five years,” Rory says.
In contrast, Karpathian decided to build a hand-tufted mattress with at least a 25-year lifespan, moving to Harbor Springs and hiring a small staff to pursue his dream. He admits it was quite a change.
“I used to manage a 100,000-square-foot facility that produced 1,500 mattresses a day,” he says. “Now I run a 12,000-square-foot facility that produces less than five a day.”
Harbor Springs Mattress Company has locations in Harbor Springs, where the beds are produced, Rochester, and a showroom in Suttons Bay at Edward’s Home Furnishings. A unique feature of the Harbor Springs location is the large glass door that separates the showroom and the production area. Visitors can view their very own mattress being assembled using wool gathered from Michigan shepherds, pure cotton, and natural latex from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree. The craftsmen take the time to hand cut, hand layer, hand tuft, and hand sew each mattress.
In addition to four made-to-order mattress styles—Bed of Roses, Harbor Light, Cozy Cuddler, and Moon Beam—Harbor Springs Mattress Co. also makes custom mattresses for homes, RVs, and boats.