The product: Beyond Luxury Sublime mattress
Headquarters: Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Earl Kluft has been in the sleep business for most of his waking life. His grandfather started the E.S. Kluft & Company, a mattress business, in 1946. And Kluft, now 62, got his start there at 14, working in the sewing room, until he climbed the ladder to CEO. His company has long specialized in upscale mattresses -- Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan were some of its high profile customers -- but Kluft wants to take his company to the next level.
Last year, he introduced the made-to-order Beyond Luxury Sublime mattress, which is filled with cashmere, mohair, silk, certified organic cotton and New Zealand wool. The mattress costs a whopping $44,000, reportedly making it the most expensive in America.
Every once in a while, other Kluft mattresses will go for more wallet-friendly prices. Bloomingdale's had one model on sale for $2,399. But customers should not hold their breath waiting for cheap versions. His next move is to introduce the Cameo, which will retail for $50,000.
America may not make the best cars, sunglasses or watches, said Kluft, but it ''makes the best mattresses, period."
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