BARGAINS : EASY TO SLEEP AT THESE PRICES.

Byline: Trisha King and Deborah Newmark

If you've been waking up on the wrong side of the bed lately, perhaps it's time to buy a new mattress. If so, you can take advantage of super-low prices offered by Richard Pratt's Mattress Warehouse.

For example, you can buy a queen-size, extra-firm Spring Air mattress and box spring set for $495. This pillow-topped mattress, with silk on one side for summer and wool on the other for winter, retails for $999.

Owner Richard Pratt has been selling mattress sets at discounted prices for over 27 years. When bed manufacturers have overruns, canceled orders, cosmetic seconds or returned goods, he's the first person they call.

Because it's now time for new mattress lines, the store currently has hundreds of Spring Air sets - twin, full, queen and king sizes - at unbelievably low prices. Many sets now on the floor at Richard Pratt's had been returned to the manufacturer from inventories of well-known department and furniture stores. For the most part, prices are the same whether the sets are matched or not.

If you haven't noticed, mattress stores seem to be multiplying like bunnies, and all claim to have the best prices in town. The problem is, the same bed can have numerous ``exclusive'' names or labels. As a matter of fact, one famous manufacturer sells its mattress sets under 400 different labels. This makes apples-to-apples comparison shopping nearly impossible for the consumer.

The best way to shop mattresses is by features. Whether you need something on the soft side or a mattress that's as hard as a rock, the staff at Richard Pratt's can steer you in the right direction.

Prices start at just under $100 for twin beds and go as high as $1,400 for a king-size Spring Air, 4 Seasons cashmere/alpaca pillow-topped mattress. It's hard to believe, but depending on the store, this mattress retails for $2,000 to $3,000.

Included in the price of every set purchased at Richard Pratt's is a free bed frame and free delivery. They will also remove the old bed and frame free of charge. By the way, if you have an old bed frame that's missing a part that can no longer be replaced, chances are you'll find it here.

Richard Pratt's Mattress Warehouse is located at 18717 Parthenia St., Northridge; [phone]. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. All major credit cards are accepted. A 30-day layaway plan is available.

Inside info

For those who enjoy wine, beer and cheese, you might consider making it yourself. The Home Wine-Beer-Cheesemaking Shop sells all the supplies you'll need. The end result, they say, is quality beer averaging about 50 cents a bottle and wine running about $1 to $3 per bottle. An expert staff is available to answer questions even after you are at home with your supplies. The Home Wine-Beer-Cheesemaking Shop is located at 22836 Ventura Blvd., Unit No. 2, Woodland Hills; [phone]. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays (but closed Wednesdays) and 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Purchase a good book to read for only 25 cents. Sam's Book City carries over 50,000 used and out-of-print books starting at 25 cents each. They also have a book-search service, open mike and poetry readings, poetry workshops and discussions groups, all free. Bring in your old books to sell or trade. Sam's Book City is located at 5245 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; [phone]. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week except Tuesday when they close at 8 p.m.

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Photo: Richard Pratt has been offering mattresses at a discount for 27 years. Prices at his store range from just under $100 for a twin to as high as $1,400 for the top-of-the-line king.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News