Writer / Gavin LaPaille
Mike McCord isn’t selling mattresses — he’s selling better sleep. As owner and founder of PhD Mattress, McCord uses his decades of experience to help customers achieve a restful, restorative sleep.
PhD Mattress uses a state-of-the-art diagnostic bed that measures each individual to find which mattresses will provide the right mix of comfort and support needed to achieve the best sleep possible. The process is relatively rare, with only one other store offering the same technology in the state of Kentucky. PhD Mattress also offers pillows, linens and power bases to create a total sleep solution for its customers.
“We use that data to help identify what mattresses are right for their individual sleep needs,” McCord said. “We only show them the mattresses in the store that provide them the support they need for a good night’s sleep. It streamlines the shopping experience for the customer because we focus on what works for them.”
McCord brings a wealth of knowledge to PhD Mattress. His father, Glenn, owned many businesses over the course of decades, with McCord helping out in the stores from a young age. He was first exposed to the mattress industry through his father-in-law, Stewart Matter, who opened what became Matter Brothers Furniture in Southwest Florida.
McCord joined Ashley Furniture Industries in 2001 as a VP of Homestores and later operated 6 stores in the Louisville & Indianapolis areas. He opened PhD Mattress in 2024 to fill a void in the luxury mattress market, offering brands such as Helix, BedGear, Puffy, Naturepedic and more.
“You learn from every experience you have,” McCord said. “I took it to the next step here in Louisville by selling luxury brands. While most stores carry the same mainstream brands, we focus on unique, higher-quality lines that deliver better value for our customers.”
Located at 260 N. Hurstbourne Parkway in the Forum Shopping Center, the centralized location helps bring in customers who want a more personalized experience.
“The description of a mattress can only tell you so much,” McCord said. “Customers want to know if it really feels that good and the only way to answer that is to lie on it. If the mattress isn’t working, we make it easy with a 120 night comfort guarantee.
Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding the diagnostic technology and the unique selection of mattresses.
“Customers like our process because it’s low pressure and helps them make a decision,” McCord said. “They see beds here they don’t see anywhere else.”
Looking ahead, McCord is focused on growing the business and exploring expansion opportunities.
“We hope to grow the concept and open more stores in the Louisville market,” McCord said. “I have a long-term strategic plan and we’ll keep plugging away at it.”
PhD Mattress is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, check out phdmattress.com.
