Jennifer Rudick Helps Humboldt Find its Zzzzs

Jennifer Rudick helps her customers select the right mattress. Photos by Melissa Sanderson

Jennifer Rudick can put you to sleep but in the best way possible! The Humboldt born Rudick puts her knowledge of nighttime comfort to good use at the three Moore’s Sleep World Inc. locations. Rudick loves it when someone yells across a parking lot, “The mattress lady!” Talking to her, it is easy to understand why.

Jennifer tried her hand at several different trades, but with one common thread: customer service. She honed her sales prowess assisting clients with some of life’s most basic needs, like homes, cars and money. Long-term real estate investments can stress us out, we pretty much live in our automobiles, and banks are privy to our smallest financial details. But her most personal customer service was yet to come.

Rudick met her husband, Darin, at Eureka High School, her mother’s alma mater. “We are still together 26 years later,” she says with a happy laugh. Not surprising if you consider both are in the business of keeping people happy. Darin has since retired from his position as sales manager at Harper Ford, but he remains the co-owner of Moore’s Sleep World, leaving the day-to-day operations to talented CEO Jennifer. The Rudicks had planned to open a car lot of their own one day, but Jennifer’s successful time spent selling vehicles at Mid-City Motor World provoked a rethink. “I positioned myself with good products. It is key to successful sales to have pride in quality.” She then moved into the office. “It taught me a lot. Like I did not want my own car lot,” she said with a chuckle.

Fortunately, this is where Humboldt lent a timely hand. In 2008, the titular Dave Moore of Moore’s Sleep World decided it was time to retire. The question of whether to close or sell the business he opened in 1986 became easy when he talked with Darin, who at that time conveniently worked across the street at Roy’s Auto. “I have the perfect person for you,” Darin told him. Jennifer knew nothing about mattresses but came with a wealth of sales experience.

“As I trained with Dave, I was surprised to learn I loved mattresses. They are not just white rectangles,” she said. Nothing can destroy your peaceful slumber like rolling over only to get stuck in the Great Rift Valley between the unruly bedsprings on your side of the bed. “The right mattress can enrich your life, but no one realizes it until you get that first good night’s sleep.” 

The old adage “You’ve made your bed, so now lie in it” rings true. Beds, like real estate and cars, are a long-term investment. Choosing the right bed can be stressful as many of us don’t know the first thing about box springs, let alone remember anything about memory foam. Rudick trains her staff on asking the right questions so that you don’t have to bounce on all 33 beds (33!) she stocks. When she says she carries pretty much every price and every feel of mattress, she isn’t kidding. Spoiled for choice in all the right ways. Did you know there are cooling mattresses? And pillows? Sweet relief for those suffering on a hot mattress with an internal temperature swiftly approaching spontaneous combustion.

Jennifer Rudick flashes a smile from the desk where she helps customers.

Jennifer added Moore’s Sleep World locations in Arcata and Fortuna. “I was only able to do so with the support of the county,” she said. She points out that changes in some industries make it challenging across the country. Yet, she noted, “I remain competitive with big box stores.” No mean feat in today’s market. Even though Jennifer carries specialty mattresses, she stated, “Every person in Humboldt works hard for their money. I want their money to go into something that lasts.” She works hard to find quality mattresses at the best prices since Sleep World has the only full-service mattress stores in Humboldt. With two colleges in the area, she makes sure to carry beds that won’t break student budgets. That full service is top to bottom, taking away the old faithful mattress with the coffee stain from when Rover jumped in your lap, and replacing it with a fully set up, ridiculously comfy bed to tempt you into Sunday morning laziness.

Jennifer loves what she does. “I hand pick the mattresses we carry myself. Not mass produced, not cookie cutter,” she said, “handcrafted.” Imagine the dreams inspired by a bed frame crafted from reclaimed railroad steel by Knickerbocker in Pennsylvania. She visits the factories and goes to trade markets once or twice per year. She is proud that the beds in Sleep World showrooms are made in the U.S. in cities like Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga and Stockton. 

As an enthusiastic supporter of all things Humboldt, Rudick says she is excited about the future. “We were back at Oyster Fest giving out merch and having fun,” she said. 

Jennifer finished the sentence, “My Humboldt Life is,” by adding “being a part of a local community in which I was raised, feeling their support at every turn. I’m proud of enriching their lives.” Being able to get a solid night’s sleep does exactly that.

Moore’s Sleep World
3 W Fifth St., Eureka (707) 444-2337
876 G St., Arcata (707) 822-9997
1201 Main St., Fortuna (707) 725-2222
mooressleepworld.net
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