30 Years Strong: The Sleep Center in Panama City FL
Some mattress stores are just a warehouse with a website attached. The Sleep Center isn't one of them. If you've lived in Bay County for a while, you probably already knew that.
A Store Built by a Veteran, for the Community
The Sleep Center opened its doors in Panama City, Florida in 1995, founded by Richard Branham, a U.S. Army veteran who set out to build a sleep shop rooted in the same values he learned in service: reliability, honesty, and taking care of people.
The idea was simple. Offer real expertise and real inventory, not just a rack of mattresses and a rushed sales pitch. That approach worked. The store outgrew its original location, and by 1998 Richard opened a larger showroom covering nearly 10,000 square feet, which is the same location Panama City locals know today at 1830 W 23rd Street.
Still Locally Owned, Still Family Operated
Three decades later, The Sleep Center is still locally owned and family operated. Richard Branham still lives in Panama City with his family, and the business remains active in the community, showing up at local events and charity functions, supporting students and other worthy causes as locals serving locals.
Being part of a larger buying group gives The Sleep Center the pricing leverage of a big national chain, while the day-to-day experience stays personal: the same commitment to service that opened the doors in 1995 is still what greets you when you walk in.
Best of Bay, 20+ Years Running
You don't win a local “Best of” award for two decades straight by accident. The Sleep Center has been voted Reader's Choice Best of Bay winner for more than twenty years in a row. It's a record that reflects a simple pattern: customers keep coming back, and keep sending their friends and family.
Meet the Mattress Experts
The team at The Sleep Center isn't a rotating cast of retail clerks working a commission board. The staff, locally known as the Mattress Experts, work directly out of the Panama City, FL showroom and warehouse, which means they're intimately familiar with what's actually in stock, how each model feels, and which mattress tends to be the right fit for a given sleep style, budget, or health concern.
That local, hands-on knowledge is the difference between a big-box associate reading a spec sheet and someone who has watched thousands of Bay County sleepers try, buy, and come back years later for their next mattress.
What's Inside the Showroom
Step into the 10,000-square-foot showroom and you'll find one of the largest in-stock mattress inventories on display in the area. A deliberate choice, since it means customers can compare real mattresses side by side instead of ordering blind from a catalog. The lineup includes major national names like Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Beautyrest, and Serta, alongside adjustable bases, Mega Motion lift chairs, and bedding accessories from brands like Malouf.
Whether someone's looking for a plush Stearns & Foster for a primary bedroom, a firm Sealy Posturepedic for back support, or a Tempur-Pedic for pressure relief, the goal is the same: let the customer lie down, compare, and decide for themselves with expert guidance rather than pressure.
Full-Service, From Delivery to Removal
The relationship doesn't end at checkout. The Sleep Center offers local white-glove delivery, setup, and removal of the customer's old mattress. A detail that matters more than it sounds like, especially for anyone who has ever tried to wrestle a queen mattress up a stairwell alone.
Why It Matters Where You Buy
A mattress is one of the few purchases that directly affects your health every single night for years. Buying from a local, established showroom means:
● Real inventory you can test, not just photos
● Expert guidance from people who work in the store, not a call center
● Local accountability where the same business will be here for delivery, service, and support long after the sale
● Three decades of community trust, reflected in over 20 years of Best of Bay wins
Visit The Sleep Center
The Sleep Center has been part of Panama City for 30 years, and the mission hasn't changed: help people sleep better. Stop by the showroom, meet the Mattress Experts, and find out why Bay County locals keep calling it home for sleep.
The Sleep Center
1830 W 23rd St
Panama City, FL 32405
(850) 785-0910
