After much research, I came across a forum called, "The Mattress Underground."
http://www.themattressunderground.com
I went ahead and posted the background info and some local stores in Orange County and one in Torrance.
---From Site----
Buying a new mattress is one of the most important purchases you can make and there are few things that will have as big an effect on your overall well being over the next decade or so. Unfortunately ... for most people, a mattress is a completely blind purchase and the vast majority of consumers know little to nothing about what really makes a good quality mattress or what to believe about the many claims and confusing and conflicting and even misleading information they will be exposed to. Even worse is that most "typical" salespeople also know very little about the quality of the materials in the mattresses they sell and are trained to sell mattresses using marketing techniques and "stories" they have been taught instead of specific and accurate information that gives consumers a way to make more meaningful comparisons and choices.
If you start to ask for meaningful, factual information from most retailers about the quality of the layers in their mattresses (such as foam densities) ... especially if it is a major brand (the ones that you will see advertised) ... you will usually see eyes start to roll or glaze over as they realize that you probably know more about mattresses than they do. There are very few major purchases that are as blind as a mattress or where the people who sell them know so little about what really makes a good quality product. An hour or two spent on this site though reading some of the basics can give you more meaningful information than most salespeople will learn in years.
There is a great deal of information in this post and the posts and information it links to and I would encourage you to read it like you would a good book rather than "study" it like you would a textbook. The goal is not to turn you into an "expert" but to provide you with enough basic information that you can recognize when you are dealing with an expert who can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision and has your long term best interests at heart. There is little point in learning what they have taken years to learn and already know and are happy to share with you. Keep in mind that both too little information and too much information can lead to poor choices. If you come across information or claims that you are unsure about then this site or a question on the forum can act as a "fact check".
There are many "needs" and many "preferences" in a mattress purchase and post #4 here outlines the ideal "end result" of a mattress purchase that is "perfect" for you.
A mattress is only as durable as its weakest link and knowing that every layer of your mattress uses good quality materials that are appropriate for your budget is one of the most important parts of buying a good quality/value mattress. You can't "feel" quality or durability because even the lowest quality materials can be very comfortable in the highly managed environment of most mattress showrooms. Quality can only be known if you know the details about what is in the mattress and have a way to know what these details mean or someone to "translate" them for you. All foams and materials have higher and lower quality/density versions that will be more or less durable (see Post #2 here)
The good news though is that there are some steps you can take to greatly shift the odds in your favor of finding a high quality mattress that fits your needs and preferences (what I call PPP or Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) and has much better value than what you will find if you "follow the advertising" or shop for major brands at mass market outlets or chain stores. The "secret" is knowing where to look and what to look for.
We are each unique in our needs and preferences. As one of our members recently wrote in this thread ... there really are no shortcuts ... only ways that you can eliminate the frustration, confusion, and "information overwhelm" of mattress shopping and perhaps ... with the right help ... turn it into a pleasure.
So for those who want the best possible quality and value and want to work with "experts" that have the experience, knowledge, service, and integrity to give you good information and help you find your "perfect" mattress ... these steps are for you. The time you spend reading them, the confidence they will give you, and the time and money they will end up saving you will help you more than anything else you could do when you are first starting out with your mattress research.
Step 1: Gather some basic information about mattress materials and construction which can help you ask better questions and help you to identify the people who know what they are talking about. Scanning (not studying) the overviews in the mattresses section will help with this. For those who wish more detailed information, the additional pages in each section may also be of interest but this is not necessary if you connect with people who already know what you would otherwise need to learn. An hour spent reading the overviews will give you more knowledge about mattress materials and construction than many of the salespeople who sell mattresses at mainstream outlets and will give you the knowledge to ask more meaningful questions.
Step 2: Eliminate the worst choices so you can focus on your better choices. This article should help you bypass many of the local retailers or major manufacturers that are really not worth your time and effort or the frustration and confusion they will cause trying to track down meaningful information that you need to make an informed decision ... especially the chain stores and mass market outlets. It's also a good idea at this stage to decide on the midrange of your budget. This is the price you are willing to pay for a mattress that you would prefer to stay under but would go slightly over if there was a particularly compelling reason to do so (based on the quality/value of a mattress or because it was so much better in some way than anything else available to you. Keep in mind that a mattress is not primarily a luxury item but something that is necessary to help you sleep as well and deeply as possible and "luxury" has little to do with how well you sleep or what your body feels.
Step 3: Do some initial research into the local manufacturers and better sleep shops within reasonable driving distance. This article (or the fact that they are a member of this site or comments on the forum) will help you identify them. For those who don't know of any better options or possibilities in their area ... a forum search on the nearest major city (using the "search forum" tab not the "search main site" window and setting the "find post from" option to "any date") will often provide you with a "list" that is close to you with some comments or alternatively, feel free to ask on the forum and I'll be happy to point you to any I may know of within reasonable driving distance. Who you buy from and their knowledge and ability to help you make the most suitable and high quality/value choices that best match your needs and preferences can also be one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase. I would always first phone and talk with any retailer or manufacturer you plan to visit so you have a reasonable idea of the level of knowledge and service you can expect when you go there.
Step 4: Connect with the "experts" at the better outlets near you who will help you test mattresses and identify the types of materials, components, and layering that best fits your needs and preferences and match the most important parts your "personal value equation" (see post #46 here) and have the best value within your budget. Make sure you also check for the various policies or benefits of dealing with the merchant which may provide additional value with your purchase. Use their help and guidance to help you test for PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). Finally choose your "top choice" at each manufacturer or retail outlet you are working with.
Remember when you are testing that comfort (pressure relief and subjective "feel") is what you feel when you go to bed at night, support (spinal alignment) is what you feel when you wake up in the morning (either with or without back pain and discomfort), and quality/durability (the type and quality of each layer and component in the mattress) is all about how your mattress will feel and perform in a year or two (or hopefully much longer) down the road.
As you can read in post #174 here ... warranties also won't tell you about the quality, durability, or longevity of your purchase and are mostly about marketing. Post #2 here goes into more depth about all the important parts of a "successful" mattress purchase.
Some suggestions for testing for pressure relief are in this article and for testing for alignment (which is a little more difficult) are in this article and in post #11 here. There are also some great suggestions in Post #1 here. I would also remember that testing for more subjective perceptions of "comfort" alone has less than a 50/50 chance of making the most suitable choice (see this study) so more careful and objective testing is one of the most important parts of a successful mattress purchase.
Keep in mind as well that other people's experiences on a mattress may have little to no bearing on your own and a mattress that is suitable for one person may be completely unsuitable for another. This means that your own testing or experience is the most reliable way to find a suitable mattress regardless of how well it may work for someone else. Post #2 here about making comfort choices along with post #13 here about mattress reviews would also be well worth reading.
Step 5: Narrow down the list of "finalists" at each retailer or manufacturer based on all the factors and tradeoffs that are most important to you based on your personal value equation. At this stage all your choices will likely be good ones (and better than anything that most consumers end up purchasing or that you would have found with a major brand or at a mass market outlet). While narrowing them down to one can be difficult ... in the end you may need to just close your eyes, grit your teeth ... and pull the trigger based on smaller differences that are important to you. At this point you really can't make a mistake and the one you choose may just have some fine detail that tips the balance. There is more about making a final choice in post #2 here.
OPTIONAL: In those areas of the country where there are no better quality and/or value choices available ... then I would look online and use the experience and expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There is a wide range of latex and memory foam options included in the choices there. Their detailed knowledge of their mattresses and how they fit with different body types and sleeping positions along with your feedback from local testing, a customer base of many people that they can use as reference points, and any exchange and customizing policies they may have can greatly lower the risk of an online purchase. They can also be a good "value reference" for local purchases to make sure that any "premium" you are paying for a local purchase (in exchange for the kind of "in person" guidance, service, and value that comes with dealing with a local retailer that can help you make more "accurate" choices that you have tested in person) is not too high.
In addition to the online members of the site listed in the previous link ... post #12 here has some of the better online memory foam options for those who are looking for a memory foam mattress.
There is also a list of online mattress sources for Canadians in post #21 here.
Hopefully this will help you bypass most of the misleading information, confusion, and frustration of mattress shopping, connect with people who put your long term interests above their own, and of course ... feel free to post on the forum if you have any questions along the way.
One step at a time (and not skipping any of the steps) is the most effective way to find "your perfect mattress" and has by far the highest odds of your success
Phoenix
www.ergocomfort.com/ Retailer in Irvine that carries Berkeley Ergonomics (which are good quality/value) and a range of other premium mattresses that are also good quality but carry more premium prices as well including OMI, Savvy Rest, Naturepedic, Technogel and some ultra premium brands such as Carpe Diem and VI Springs.
bedsetc.com/ Los Angeles, Studio City, Torrance, Gardena, Tarzana. Owned by members of the same family as Electropedic Beds and carries the Electropedic mattresses, Isleeporganic, Spinal Care, Diamond, and other brands.
goodbedguys.com/about.html Costa Mesa. Local factory direct manufacturers. Making a range of innerspring and latex mattresses using high quality materials and a lot of cotton in the layering. Was impressed with what they told me and the quality of their mattresses. they have good value but are on the higher end of the range because of the expense of the materials they use.
www.foamsweetfoam.com/mattresses Anaheim. Local factory direct manufacturer. Also very knowledgeable and helpful. Has several layered "choose your own layer" mattresses which can be customized and layers exchanged. Also good value
www.newportbedding.com/index.html Local factory direct in Costa Mesa. Has some high quality mattresses using more "hand built" methods but are also in a more premium price range for their higher quality mattresses such as latex.
www.americasmattressoc.com/ Retailer in Orange, CA. Carries Pure Latex Bliss and Stress-O-Pedic.
These mattress manufacturers have also agreed to provide a 5% discount or a bonus to all members of The Mattress Underground forum who mention they are a member here when they are purchasing their mattress (outside of special sales that have a larger discount or specially discounted items)
http://www.flexuscomfort.com/Natural-Comfort.html
Flexus Comfort Mattress Company Covina, CA USA National (Online) & Local 5% of mattress
http://www.flexuscomfort.com/
