From The Sleep Center, Panama City, since 1995
Feel it before you buy it.
Buying a mattress online means trusting a photo and a box. Here's how that compares with lying on name-brand beds at Bay County's oldest family-owned and operated mattress store.
The showroom and the box, side by side
Five of the ten differences that matter most. The rest are on the full comparison.
Feeling it before you pay
In the showroomIn the showroom: Lie down on dozens of name-brand mattresses side by side, in the position you actually sleep in, for as long as you like. Bring your partner and your pillow.
In a box, onlineIn a box, online: You choose from photos, star ratings and a firmness number, and every brand measures firmness its own way. You feel it for the first time after you've paid and it's in your bedroom.
Your back can tell the difference in ten minutes. A product photo can't.
Advice from a person
In the showroomIn the showroom: Factory-trained mattress experts ask how you sleep, what hurts and what you've tried, then let you test in peace. The Sleep Center's rule is no pressure, ever.
In a box, onlineIn a box, online: A sleep quiz, a chat window and review sites. Many “best mattress” lists earn a commission when you click buy, so read them knowing that.
Someone who has watched thousands of Bay County sleepers choose a bed is worth a short drive.
Getting it home
In the showroomIn the showroom: The Sleep Center's own employees and trucks deliver, not hired movers or a parcel carrier. Because the stock is local, delivery is fast; customers mention next-day.
In a box, onlineIn a box, online: Usually a heavy box left at the door, on the carrier's schedule. In-home “white glove” delivery is often an added charge, where it's offered at all.
Know who is coming to your door, and when.
Setup and the old mattress
In the showroomIn the showroom: The delivery team moves furniture as needed, unpacks and sets everything up, and carries off the packaging and your old mattress if you'd like.
In a box, onlineIn a box, online: You drag the box inside, cut it open, let the mattress expand, and figure out what to do with the old one. Haul-away is often extra or not available.
An old king mattress doesn't fit in a trash can.
If it isn't right
In the showroomIn the showroom: You tested it first, so a mismatch is far less likely. If something comes up, you call or walk into a store that has been in Panama City since 1995.
In a box, onlineIn a box, online: Home trials are common, but many require you to keep the mattress for a few weeks first, and returns can mean fees, scheduling a pickup, or arranging a donation yourself.
The easiest return is the one you never need.
Meet The Sleep Center
Richard Branham, a veteran, opened The Sleep Center in Panama City in 1995. The store outgrew its first location and moved into a 10,000-square-foot showroom on West 23rd Street in 1998. It's still owned and run by the Branham family, who live here and turn up at Bay County charity events all year.
Reader's Choice Best of the Bay winner for 17 years in a row.
- Owned by
- The Branham family, since 1995
- Founder
- Richard Branham, a U.S. veteran
- Showroom
- 10,000-square-foot showroom at 1830 W. 23rd St., Panama City
- Brands
- Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, Sealy, Serta, Beautyrest, Simmons, Casper
- Delivery
- Store employees and trucks; setup and old-mattress removal
- Ways to pay
- Cash, Checks, Major credit cards, Financing with approved credit, Free 6-month layaway
Every big name, in one room
Online, each brand shows you only its own beds. In the showroom you can go from Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, Sealy, Serta, Beautyrest, Simmons, Casper in a few steps, and finally compare them fairly.
That includes Casper, which began as an online bed-in-a-box brand. Lie on it before you decide.
What Bay County shoppers say
“Sales guy was so knowledgeable and friendly. Delivered next day at exactly when they had stated. Matt and his partner moved a couple other items for us. Super professional.”
“There is absolutely no sales pressure. We were able to spend our time alone discovering which mattress works best for us without any pressure… This is how the mattress shopping experience should be.”
“We purchased a Tempur-pedic mattress from the Sleep Center 9 1/2 years ago… The assistant manager, Thomas, recommended we contact Tempur-pedic since we still had six months left on the 10 year warranty… Had it not been for the Sleep Center's honesty we would not have known…”
Questions people ask
Is it better to buy a mattress online or in a store?
For most people, a store. You can feel the mattress before you pay, get advice from someone who knows the brands, and have it delivered, set up and your old one hauled away. Online can work if you already know the exact model you want. In Bay County, The Sleep Center at 1830 W. 23rd St. in Panama City has helped people choose in person since 1995.
Is it cheaper to buy a mattress online?
Sometimes the sticker price is lower, but compare the delivered total. In-home delivery, removing the old mattress, a new base and any return fee can add up. The Sleep Center will match a lower local price and offers financing with approved credit and free six-month layaway.
Can I try a bed-in-a-box mattress in a store?
Yes. The Sleep Center carries Casper, a brand that started online, so you can lie on it in the showroom before deciding.
What is the oldest family-owned mattress store in Bay County?
The Sleep Center in Panama City, owned and operated by the Branham family since 1995. Founder Richard Branham is a veteran, and the store has been voted a Reader's Choice Best of the Bay winner 17 years in a row.
Does The Sleep Center deliver to Panama City Beach?
Yes. The Sleep Center delivers across the Panama City area, including Panama City Beach, with its own employees and trucks. The team can set up the new mattress and take the old one away. Ask about delivery timing and charges when you buy.
Where is The Sleep Center and when is it open?
1830 W. 23rd St., Panama City, FL 32405, under the big red canopy across from Sam's Club. It's open Monday to Saturday 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Call (850) 785-0910.
Look for the big red canopy
The Sleep Center, 1830 W. 23rd St., Panama City, FL 32405, across from Sam's Club. Open Monday to Saturday 9 am to 6 pm; Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm.