About Chris Kehoe

Chris Kehoe daydreaming with his mentor, Jimmy Jim.

At 11-years-old founder of Bayside Mattress Factory, Chris Kehoe, already knew he wanted to earn his own money. (He had big dreams of owning his own car at 16!). Being the youngest of six, Chris, new the value of a dollar and working to earn that dollar. A friend mentioned a parttime job at a local mattress factory. Without hesitation Chris inquired and the next thing he knew the school bus was dropping him off at the factory.

His first job was sweeping floors. That job grew to emptying trash barrels, unloading trucks and helping on deliveries. But what really fascinated Chris was watching the craftsman at the sewing and fabrication tables; building mattresses from raw materials. This, he knew, was what he wanted to do.

He started building box springs (a key ingredient to the ultimate comfort of a mattress) and quickly progressed to fabricating all sizes and shapes of mattresses. (Yes, custom-sized mattresses are a specialty of Bayside Mattress Factory too!) Chris had found his passion.

By the time Chris graduated from high school the mattress factory he had worked in through his teen years had moved into a 12000 sq ft manufacturing facility and he had become the production manager. The business was growing and soon it included furniture and along the way Chris learned about the furniture business as well. He eventually moved away from mattresses and became the furniture sales floor manager.



College and four years in the United States Air Force took Chris away from his beloved mattress and furniture business but provided him with many live changing opportunities which included developing new skills and an opportunity to learn about the world.

Returning home Chris embraced the furniture industry once again. He opened his own furniture store that featured high-end furnishings and, of course, mattresses. The business was successful, “and fun” says Chris, but fell victim to the Great Recession.

Keeping his eye on his dream Chris stayed in touch with his friends who owned the original mattress factory (which had closed in 2018) with the idea that one day he may return to mattress manufacturing. As luck would have it the factory and machinery were still intact and in working order and the owner was open to ideas.



Chris approached the former mattress factory owners, along with the friend who had brought him in as an 11-year-old, and they asked if they could start up their own mattress business in the old factory. An agreement was made and the Bayside Mattress Factory was born!