Casper extending reach into brick-and-mortar

Online mattress start-up Casper is getting more upfront with shoppers.



The fast-growing company plans to open some 15 pop-up shops in cities across North America, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The pop-ups are scheduled to launch in October 2017, and will remain open through spring of 2018.



The temporary stores mark Casper's first significant investment in a company-owned retail presence across the U.S. Last year, the company partnered with West Elm to sell its mattresses in West Elm stores and through its website and catalog. (On Sept. 5, West Elm announced it was replacing Casper as its official mattress partner). And this past June, Casper inked a deal with Target. Under the terms of the agreement, the discounter sells Casper mattresses on its web site, with other Casper products, including pillows and sheets, also available in select Target stores.



The Casper pop-ups will showcase the brand's sleep offerings, including its newest product, the ergonomically designed Casper Wave mattress. Shoppers will be able to try out Casper's full product line-up, which in addition to its original mattress includes sheets and pillows. All items will be available for purchase.



"The demand to experience our products in-person has continued to grow exponentially," said Philip Krim, Casper co-founder and CEO. "Casper retail environments allow us to seamlessly traverse online and offline, which we believe is paramount to an exceptional customer journey."



Launched in 2014. Casper quickly developed a cult following for its mattress, which is made of memory and latex foams, and delivered in a box. The mattress comes with a 100-day money-back trial.