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<< Previous   of   Next >> Swedish Sleep Products of Washington  (click to enlarge) Finsova, which loosely translates to "good sleep" in Swedish, makes adjustable beds that can be fitted with massage features.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Nursery owner nurtures each separate plant 4/17/08 • Master gardener to show how to set up drip irrigation system 4/17/08 • Coast Cabins and Sheds keeps structures simple 4/17/08 • Speciality Nursery Guide 4/17/08 • Washers, dryers move full steam ahead 4/17/08 • Milkman's delivery offers customers taste of the past 4/17/08 • Lake Stevens couple finds fast success with homemade sauces 4/17/08 • The 2008 Everett Home and Garden Show 4/17/08 • TV chef urges simplicity with food, kitchen 4/17/08 • Everett Home and Garden Show speaker schedule 4/17/08 • There's logic behind rise in choice of radiant heat 4/17/08 • Theater Xtreme brings full movie experience home 4/17/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, April 17, 2008 Lake Stevens firm offers Swedish-style 'sleep good' beds By Andy Rathbun Herald Writer To name his private-label brand of Swedish-styled mattresses, Chris Swanson turned to an obvious source: the Swedish language. After looking around, he settled on Finsova, which loosely translates to "good sleep." "It's supposed to say 'sova fin,' actually," he said. "It's 'good sleep' backwards." However, there's nothing backward about Swanson's business, Swedish Sleep Products of Washington, based in Lake Stevens. Swanson keeps his overhead low by selling his beds almost exclusively through home shows -- he calls that his "niche." Unlike the major brands, he doesn't have commercials, which eliminates an advertising expense and helps him lower prices, he said. "I'm usually a couple thousand less than my competition," he estimated. Swanson's adjustable beds can be loaded with special features, including massage capabilities, and range in price from $1,800 for a queen to $5,000 for the show special, a dual king. The beds don't use springs, which Swanson said create pressure points. Rather, they are made using an all natural Talalay process -- a way of producing rubber that's resistant to dust mites and mold, he said. Depending on the model, the adjustable beds also can tilt your head up nearly 90 degrees or raise your feet as much as 60 degrees. Granted, not every bed comes fully loaded. Swanson said wives often request the massage feature on just their half of the bed, since their husbands aren't interested. "Some people don't like massage, and you've got to pay a couple hundred bucks for it," he said. He estimated around 65 percent of his customers are 60 years or older; many may be attracted to the beds after being told by a doctor they need to change the way they sleep. "You can pop your head up if you've got acid reflux, you can put your feet up if you've got diabetes," he said. "I've got people that sleep in recliners every night. It gets them back in the bedroom." Younger people also buy the beds, however, drawn by the many features. Swanson said he just sold a customized bed to a young married couple. While Swanson went into his field of work for realistic reasons -- it pays the bills, he said -- the job offers other rewards. "It's great," he said. "I hear a lot of stories from people who've suffered for years or hate their bed, and they get mine and they love it." Reporter Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455 or e-mail arathbun@heraldnet.com Swedish Sleep Products of Washington http://swedishsleep.com, chris@swedishsleep.com, 206-779-1434

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