Mattress store to close

Just a year after opening, The Better Sleep Store is liquidating its store at 9008 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh.

President John Schindler stressed that only the one location is closing. The Better Sleep Stores in Durham and Chapel Hill will remain open.

But with mounting competition in the bed business, there's no room for error. According to Schindler's count, 28 new mattress stores have opened in the Triangle in the past 18 months.

"They're just looking at Raleigh and how it's an attractive place to have a business," he said. "But they're not seeing the whole picture."

Sales of mattresses have been steadily growing nationwide, as baby boomers look to upgrade to luxury mattresses and more people of all ages place an emphasis on health.

Between 2000 and 2005, sales of mattresses climbed from $4.6 billion to $6.4 billion, according to the International Sleep Products Association.

But Schindler said 2006 numbers will be lower because of high gas prices and the growing number of stores in the area.

The Glenwood Avenue store's liquidation sale will continue through January.

Randy's Pizza has been making pizzas in Durham since 1995, and it has now opened its first Wake County restaurant in McCrimmon Corners at the corner of Davis Drive and McCrimmon Parkway in Morrisville. The new location is the fifth Randy's Pizza and begins delivery after New Year's.

The chain Fitness 19 is opening its first gym in the state. It will be next to Lowe's Foods at the corner of Cary Parkway and High House Road in Cary. The company has gyms in 18 states and is targeting the East Coast for expansion. The Cary store opens early next month.

At the Riverview Shopping Center on North Roxboro Road in Durham, work is complete on the 5,000-square-foot addition, and China Star, Eze Packaging, Golden Nails and Little Caesars should open in early 2007.

Marsh Woodwinds is preparing to move. The company has been repairing instruments for more than 25 years and will move from Hillsborough Street in Raleigh to the old Mordecai Bridal & Tuxedo store on North Person Street. It should open next month.

Other items: Office Depot opened at Durham's Northgate mall. ... The Melting Pot's Durham location is preparing to open at the Renaissance Center on Fayetteville Street across from The Streets at Southpoint in late January. ... Also in that center, BakeHouse Bistro will open in late January or early February. BakeHouse took over both Triangle Just Fresh locations early this year. ... In downtown Raleigh, The Capital Room at 112 Fayetteville St. is expanding into a vacant neighboring space and changing its name to Fayetteville Street Tavern on New Year's Day.