Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Partnership to Revive Van Vorst Mattress Brand
April 17,
2017 by Larry Thomas in Business Strategy, Industry, Mattresses, Product 
The historic Van Vorst mattress brand is making a comeback, thanks to a new partnership between bedding producer Eclipse International and Jim and Mike Malkiewicz, the owners of Blue Ocean Sleep.
Under the partnership, the brand will be marketed as Van Vorst Mattress Co. of America since 1888, and will have national and international distribution through Eclipse’s 61 licensees. Production of the upper-end line is expected to begin in about two months.
“This exquisite line of mattresses is exactly what brick-and-mortar retailers need to remain competitive in today’s marketplace,” said Eclipse International CEO Stuart Carlitz. “Retailers are eager for unique product and compelling stories to share with consumers to draw them into their stores. We have a great story with Van Vorst.”
The original CB Van Vorst Mattress Co. was founded in Los Angeles in 1888, and in its heyday, was a key supplier of private label mattresses for major department stores. The brand has been dormant for about two decades, but the trademarks recently were obtained by the Malkiewicz brothers.
Designed with advanced foam technology and proprietary innersprings, the Van Vorst Collection will be marketed as a high-end, luxury brand, priced to retail from $999 to $5,000 in queen. It will only be offered to a select group of retailers with limited distribution to allow for exclusivity and strong margins, Carlitz explained.
The Malkiewicz brothers founded Blue Ocean Sleep in 2010 after spending more than 30 years in the bedding industry with Wickline Bedding.
“This partnership represents another step in our process of continuing to build our network not only by geography and senior talent, but by offering more well-known brands that our licensees can offer to their retailers and their customers,” Carlitz added.