Worthington business gives beds as holiday gifts

• Worthington business gives beds as holiday gifts

Ryan McGaughey/Daily Globe Ben and Krista Petersen, who own and operate Slumberland in Worthington, pose Tuesday in the front of their store along Ryan’s Road.

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WORTHINGTON — Tuesday morning was busy at the Slumberland store in Worthington, as plenty of mattress sets were going out the door.

The mattresses, though, weren’t being purchased by a sudden rush of customers — they were being given away as part of the store’s annual Homes for the Holidays program.

Slumberland of Worthington donated 20 mattress sets this year, which were distributed through Catholic Charities and Southwest Crisis Center.

“We just feel it’s important to give back to the community and contribute to worthwhile causes,” said Ben Petersen, who co-owns and operates the store with wife Krista. “We feel Homes for the Holidays is a very important thing because there are a lot of needy families in the community.”

All of the mattresses given away by Slumberland of Worthington (twin and full sizes) are for children.

“Of all the beds we gave away, all of those children are currently sleeping on the floor,” Petersen said.

Slumberland Inc. began its Homes for the Holidays program in 1993. Since then, Slumberland has donated more than 17,000 new mattresses and box springs to deserving families. Last year saw a record number of sets donated company-wide at 1,750.

Slumberland’s Worthington store has been participating in the store since its opening in 1999, Petersen said. The store has donated more than 150 sets of bedding during those 10 years, he added.

The Petersens purchased Slumberland of Worthington in May 2002 and have continued to increase its Homes for the Holidays participation since their arrival from Emmetsburg, Iowa.

“I’m fourth-generation in the furniture business,” Petersen said. “It started with my great-grandfather and then my grandparents, who I worked with, and then my parents.”

The Petersens also help to provide needy families with bedding throughout the year.

“I actually work with Catholic Charities throughout the year and if a needy person or child needs bedding, I’ll usually get them a bed,” Petersen explained.

Founded in 1967 in Richfield, Slumberland has expanded to 116 stores across 10 states. It’s now one of the nation’s top sellers of La-Z-Boy upholstery and the Midwest’s largest retailer of Tempur-pedic, Sealy and Simmons mattresses and Natuzzi leather.

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