In 1946, brothers-in-law Bernard Pike and Hank Metzger decided to buy a mattress factory. To this day, we still don’t know what made the furniture store owner and blacktop construction business owner think they should start manufacturing mattresses, but we are glad they did. They purchased Superior Mattress from Waterbury,...
In 1946, brothers-in-law Bernard Pike and Hank Metzger decided to buy a mattress factory. To this day, we still don’t know what made the furniture store owner and blacktop construction business owner think they should start manufacturing mattresses, but we are glad they did. They purchased Superior Mattress from Waterbury, Connecticut, and moved the factory to its new home in Evansville, Indiana. Neither one knew a thing about manufacturing mattresses, but somehow, they figured it out.
Bernard’s nephew, Charles "Charlie" Pike, had some mattress manufacturing experience and went to work for Hank and Bernard after he returned from his tour of duty in the US Army. Charlie, along with his wife Virginia (Ginny), helped grow Superior Mattress into a fairly steady business. After Bernard’s death, Hank became the sole owner of the company. Hank patented the Queen & King size dual-quilted mattress in 1966 (US Patent #3,274,625). Two years later, Charlie helped Hank invent a portable bale opener to open crates of mattress springs. In 1968, once the invention was complete and ready to go to the patent office, Hank made an offer to Charlie — he would split the patent rights 50/50 with Charlie or he would give him the mattress factory as payment for his percentage. After talking with Ginny, Charlie decided to risk it all and become a business owner, giving Hank the sole rights to the patent on the Portable Bale Opener (US Patent #3,550,237).
Charlie and Ginny’s son, Steve Pike, grew up in the business that his parents had loved so much. Starting in the boxspring buildup department when he was just 6 years old, Steve had a passion for the business as well. He worked alongside his parents his entire life and helped them continue to grow the family business into a thriving factory. In the late 1970s, Steve’s wife, Kim, joined the family business as well and completed the fearsome foursome. The four of them were inseparable and unstoppable. They grew the wholesale territory to encompass 13 states and were able to turn out 10 tractor-trailers and 12 straight trucks a week full of bedding, which was equal to about 2,500 pieces per week. All of this was in an 8,000 square foot building.
By 1990, the Pike’s had worked seven days a week, nonstop, at three shifts a day. Charlie and Ginny were ready to retire. After working such long and weary hours for so many years, Steve and Kim decided that they wanted to operate at a slower pace. They switched their focus from wholesale to retail and rebranded to Mattress Factory Showroom, moving next door to a building with three times the amount of space. This slower pace meant they could focus on other things like Steve’s own inventions. In 1991, Steve applied for his first patent, which was for a Sheet Holder (US Patent #5,182,827), and launched his own line of products under the Sheet Holders line. His products have been sold worldwide in thousands of stores.
The fearsome foursome continued to operate the retail store together as they had always done. In 2000, Kim asked Charlie’s great-niece, Alice, to help in the office with some paperwork. Alice quickly fell in love with the business. In 2005, with no children of their own, Steve and Kim asked Alice if she would be interested in carrying on the family business. Alice eagerly accepted and began learning every aspect of the company, with the fearsome foursome teaching her everything they knew. This included sales and management from Charlie, sewing and design from Ginny, office and administration from Kim, and manufacturing and entrepreneurship from Steve.
In 2019, Steve, Kim, and Alice Pike decided to rebrand the retail store to a more memorable name — Pike’s Mattress. Pike’s Mattress is growing to expand from mattresses to a sleep shop. They have added linens, pillows, and other bedding accessories.
In 2020 Alice’s sister, Jessica, came on board to help complete the next generation of the journey. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, businesses changed, but they were proud to see the tristate area support them once again.
In August 2024 Steve Pike retired. Alice and Jessica took over the business. Sadly they only had the business for 2 weeks before suffering a devastating fire on September 14, 2024. The fire completely destroyed the business. Currently they are working with friends in the mattress industry that are building the mattresses to the Pike's specification. But without a facility they are offering online shopping only. You can also call them at 812-422-5761 and ask for help finding the right firmness. Let Pike's 78 years of experience help you select the right mattress.
In addition to American Made Mattresses we are also expanding to bring in other American Made products. We know that our customers have long trusted us to provide quality made mattresses. Customers have asked us for generations for referrals of other American Made products. So we have rebranded under Pike's Brand and now will carry a variety of American Made products such as blankets, pillows, protectors, pet accessory products, kitchen products and more.
When you shop with Pike's Brand, you are keeping jobs here in America!
