“We try very hard to be a part of the community, be a member of it instead of just being like a big store in our own world,” Santoni said.

In her 15th year as owner of Slumberland Furniture, Santoni brings nearly 50 years of experience in the furniture industry, having started working out of college at Slumberland Furniture’s predecessor, Selin’s Furniture, in 1975.

When Selin’s Furniture went into liquidation, Santoni made the move and bought the building and opted to become a Slumberland Furniture franchise.

Based in Oakdale, Minn., and founded in 1967, Slumberland Furniture has nearly 125 stores in 12 states throughout the Midwest, although Benton Harbor has the only other location in Michigan.

SLUMBERLAND FURNITURE IS at 1320 Jackson St. in Iron Mountain. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

Santoni said being part of Slumberland Furniture has its advantages.

“They have 125-store buying power — when they buy merchandise, they get it cheaper than somebody just going in and buying for one or two stores,” Santoni said. “We also get trucks from the distribution center. We can get your merchandise way faster.”

Santoni also noted that https://www.slumberland.com/ is a top-notch website that shoppers can go to for ideas on what they may like before heading to the store to try the furniture out in person.

Slumberland Furniture is very popular in Upper Michigan and northern Wisconsin, with customers coming from as far away as Houghton even though they may have choices closer to home.

“We are really well known for our customer service. We have a knowledgeable sales staff that have been here for quite awhile and people like our commercials,” Santoni said. “One thing I have learned in 50 years — you treat them badly, they are not coming back.”

While Slumberland Furniture is obviously known for mattresses, it stocks furniture for just about every room in the house and for most budgets, she said. The store has three categories of furniture: good, better and best.

Santoni said sofas and beds can start at just a few hundred dollars, while other pieces sell for thousands. Financing, often interest-free, is available.

Brand names such as Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Flexsteel and Ashley can all be found at Slumberland Furniture. Also, nationwide nobody sells more La-Z-Boy furniture. For those perhaps looking for higher-end, custom pieces, they stock Wisconsin-made Wolfcraft.

In addition to furniture, Slumberland Furniture also sells carpeting, ceramic tile and vinyl flooring, along with Graber window shades and blinds.

Slumberland Furniture will deliver and set up, for a modest fee, within a 100-mile radius of Iron Mountain.

Santoni said Slumberland Furniture remains with the customer after the sale with warranties and service if needed.

“If something is not going right, we come and take a look at it and try to help the best that we can,” Santoni said.

She pointed out the five-year protection plan as an example. If the customer goes five years without having to use it, they get refunded the price of the plan. Also, as long as a mattress protector is purchased, customers are given a 120-day sleep trial.

“We try to be as helpful as possible,” Santoni said. “We are not going to say ‘Too bad, you bought it and goodbye.'”

Slumberland Furniture has an ongoing project near and dear to Santoni’s heart, Home for the Holidays.

The chain’s owner, Ken Larson, started the program more than 30 years ago to give beds to children and families who were sleeping on the floor.

“This is just a small way that we can give back to the community and help out the kids,” Santoni said.

She plans to give five nice bed sets, including a frame, to children who need them this Christmas. Santoni finds the families by working with teachers, counselors and social workers.

Giving back to the community — not just during the holiday season but year-round — is very important, not only to Slumberland Furniture but to Santoni herself.

“If there is fundraising for the hospitals, the animal shelter, all the different things the schools have, we just try to be part of the community,” she said.

Slumberland Furniture is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at 1320 Jackson St. in Iron Mountain.