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Show DAILY Friday. March 9. 2007 Beds Chicago attorney Charlotte Wager, 42, has spent more than $13,000 in the past three Continued from D6 years to buy Hastens matbedding went for products that tresses for herself and two of cost more than $ 1,000. That's her children. Wager said she likes the beds and their up from 37 percent in 2000, according to the magazine warranty so much that she's survey. considering buying two more Meanwhile, the average cost for her older children. of a queen-siz- e bed has grown "You want to be able to go to about $700, up from $600 to bed at night and rejuvenate five years ago, experts said and rest and recuperate," WaBut some people are willing ger said "And to me, the matto pay much, much more. tress is an investment in that." Less than a dozen handmade Michael King, a mattress Vividus mattresses have been buyer for the Macy's departsold worldwide since July, but ment store chain, attributes the customers are increasingly fivefold increase in the price of beds sold by his com buying "cheaper" models that top-en- d cost up to $20,000, said Mary Pat Wallace, owner of Hastens' Chicago store that began selling the Vividus last month. The company opened U.S. stores five years ago and has had a 66 percent increase in sales annually the past four years. Hypnos, a rival British company that touts its lineage as ' the official bed supplier to the royal family, sells beds for between $8,000 and $20,000. It expects U.S. sales to continue growing at a rate of about 20 ilpercent a year. "We've been looking for an opportunity to get into this market, but up until five years ago, we didn't see there was a desire or a need for the r-end product," said Adrian Jones, director of sales for Hypnos USA, which has its U.S. factory in Gallatin, Term. But does paying a small fortune for a bed ensure the perfect snooze? It depends who you ask. 25-ye- HERALD pany to consumers' heightened when Lexington, Ky International Inc. introduced its memory uct. Sealy beds, including the high-enStearns & Foster line, can sell for $4,000. foam bed. Sealy 's treasurer Mark "Once the mattress manufac- Boehmer said the Trinity, N.C turers realized that consumers company expects about one-thiof its future growth to would pay thousands of dollars come from its higher-pricefor a mattress, we saw other companies rush to enter the offerings. At Serta International, a market with their own versions of premium bedding," line an-Vera said Morning star analyst John nounced last year has helped GabrieL the private company post double-digit nation's the Sealy Corp., growth. The mattresses, which include aloe vera largest wholesale mattress "enhanced" fabric, sell for up maker, unveiled 36 new models earlier this year to $4,000. And this month, the nearly comof which sell for Hoffman Estates-basemore than $750, the company's pany also will begin selling its standard for a premium prod spring- "Serenity" collection awareness of the importance of rest. "They're investing more in their home in general and they're thinking about sleep in a different way," King said. "It's connecting health and sleep in one, instead of just looking at sleep as something they do every night." The luxury bed sector is poised to become even more important for big name mattress companies. They see a handsome profit on lower-price- Tempur-Pedi- c d rd d d Wang-brande- d luxury alternatives that can still cost thousands. The trend has been in the works since the early 1990s - D5 three-quarte- rs d V.-BLi I less beds made with latex that will cost up to $3,000. Plans are also in the works for more expansions to the No. 2 bedding brand's premium and luxury lines. "(Customers) arent as cked as they might have been three to five years ago," said Maria Balistreri, vice president of brand management. But to people like Wager, it's all about the slumber. "It's more than just a bed," she said. "What you're buying is a peaceful night's sleep." sticker-sho- the Net. http.7Avww.hastens.com On http:www.seafy.com . FRIDAY & SATURDAY 'T4''' p uppe- "p Forbes Continued from D6 ade mogul Li Wei, Self founder of Synear Food Holding, made the list for the first time along with a dozen other Chinese newcomers. Her company, one of the country's largest producers of frozen food, including sweet and meat dumplings, is an official supplier to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. All bets were off for online gambling moguls Ruth Parasol, Russell DeLeon and Calvin Ayre, who dropped from the list after recent crackdowns limiting offshore gambling f(SP ,.,. .. ,w..,Vi7luinww6irr' '? Vgg' Jl..", If '. Cinematic widescreen display for a total entertainment experience Intel Pentium Notebook Computer with. Intel Processor T2060 Gateway 100GB hart drive 1024MB DDR2 memory Reads and writes DVDs S CDs via the Double layer drive jV-llUMicrosoft Windows Vista" Home Premium Edition ' Integrated 802.1 g wireless LAN MX8711 Quantities inteU Equipped with Windows Defender and Parental Controls to help keep your PC safer and more secure 767345 White Supplies Gateway. Last. 1024MB Core Stores were the Wal-MaInc. heirs, who saw their company's stock languish, and Michael Dell, founder of computer maker Dell Inc. Losing billionaire status entirely was Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, the Quantities rt TOSHIBA Duo DDR2 Quantities Limited. While TOSHIBA 323769 Model Limrted While Supplies 323755 Model (Intep Processor T52O0 memory 160GB hard drive Reads and writes DVDs & CDs via me Double Layer drive Microsoft Windows Vista" Home Premium Edition Integrated 802.11abg wireless LAN Intel Core" 2 80GB Limited jt Toshiba Satellite' Notebook Computer with Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology W Duo 1024MB DDR2 memory Duo Processor T2250 hard drive Integrated 802.1 1abg wireless LAN Reads and writes DVDs & CDs via the Double Layer drive Microsoft Windows Vista" Home Premium Edition Inter high performance power Centrinoi Toshiba Satellite Notebook Computer with Intel (rrtrino Duo Mobile Technology ljIj f'Wwi. 'ir"'"'"'"'" Web sites. Bumped from the top 20 Intel Core"" 2 Duo features Office Depot1 Exclusive ' Last. Last. Supplies once-powerf- Japanese industrialist who first topped the tally in 1987. Japan surrendered its title as Asia's leading billionaire locale to India, which boasts 36 megarich on the list. Russia contributed 53 billionaires and now challenges Germany as home to the most billionaires outside the United States. Among three Indians in the wealthiest top 20 are Mukesh and Anil Ambani, feuding brothers who got even richer after dividing their fortunes in 2005. Mukesh Ambani ranked 14th with a $20.1 billion fortune, while brother Anil came in four places lower at No. 18 with his $18.2 billion. L HPCPaperCase DIM ILif r.'ih'.li-- p-lQ- J V rf LSk-- Expo Continued from D6 Enterprise Desktop. "We want to show Utah County businesses that there's an alternative to Windows," said Jack Hodge with technology services for Novell. Shooting eight baskets out of 10 at the NBA booth got guests tickets to the first home game of Utah Counteam, comty's new ing late November. The team will play at the McKay Events Center for the first season and their name will be announced at the end of the month. "Fans are really excited to e team here in have a Utah County," said Joseph Hig-bebooth employee. Bennett said expo attendees enjoyed the keynote address by Bill Rancic, winner of NBCs "The Apprentice." "I learned a lot about business from him," Bennett said. "But I think most of the women just thought he was 2F0R Rig. $8.78 sack Reg SAVE50 SAVc70 99" 129" nr. rrrr. ms . SfOf r S5.19aci w . , f!U 1 !. J fXI - 5F0B OUR LOWEST PRICES EVER! Red 1149.99 Y'm1 tfrr-- z fTSTI i . Reo,$19B99 Panasonic Lumtx LumtaDMC-US- f Digital Camera i,'. Digital memory 6 opted loom (i.OMPLCO) OmmhUNM e, WMe Sappan SAVE30 ! ' 876699 pro-grad- Caman MfGAOptctJ tragi SUbi&itr prevents bturry photot optical KNffl Accepts MutoMediaCrt" It. 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