A bizarre conspiracy theory circulating online raises the question of why there are so many Mattress Firm stores seemingly right next to each other.
As with many other odd ideas, the observation first appeared on Reddit in a thread concerning conspiracy theories that people believe are true.
Amid the discussion of traditional theories was one bold concept that captured the imagination of readers.
"Mattress Firm is some sort of giant money laundering scheme," declared the user, "I remember seeing four Mattress Firms all on each corner of an intersection once, and there is no way there is such a demand for mattresses."
What initially sounded like a laughable assertion gained traction as other users began looking into the idea and discovered that, to their amazement, in many parts of the country the stores are both incredibly abundant and located remarkably close to one another.
With the story picking up steam on social media, the retail giant was eventually forced to respond to requests for a comment on the conspiracy theory.
In a statement to Business Insider, the company said, "the idea that the proximity of Mattress Firm store locations is related to money laundering or any illegal activity is absolutely false."
CEO Ken Murphy went on to explain that the acquisition of competitors has led to many cities having multiple Mattress Firms which the company will likely consolidate in the future.
It remains to be seen whether the company's response will put the conspiracy theory to bed or if the idea continues causing sleepless nights for those concerned about the number of Mattress Firms in their town.
Source: Business Insider