If custom pillows and bedding luxuries are your game, then The Pillow Bar is a name you need to know, if you don’t already. Each + every item produced by this expert team is made to fit the customer's specific need while simultaneously blending into their personal style. From their in-house invented pillow filling machines to their variety of custom monogram and personalization options, the products and overall experience of The Pillow Bar are completely one-of-a-kind. Read on to learn more from Merrimac Dillon, Founder and President of The Pillow Bar, about what sets the company apart, and why adding their pillows and sheets to your bed should be at the top of your to-do list.
Tell us about the background of The Pillow Bar and how the Dallas Design District location came to be.
I started The Pillow Bar because I saw a space that needed to be filled. Several years ago my husband had severe back surgery where, for a while, the surgeon wasn’t sure if he’d be able to walk again. So what does that have to do with me getting into the pillow business? His surgeon said that in order to give him a chance to regain mobility, he needed specific things to stay healthy, so I asked about anything and everything. What was the best mattress, the best shoes? But when I asked what the best pillow for him would be, no one was able to give me a definitive answer. It was frustrating and shocking that out of everything, a pillow, something we all use every night, couldn’t be recommended. That’s when I decided to make my own, one that I knew would be the best for what he needed. I went back to my husband’s surgeon and asked him to help me create a clean pillow with the finest materials that would also keep my husband’s head in line with his spine.
From there, we developed the best pillows for all types of sleepers – back, side, front. But even after meeting with manufacturers who couldn’t make these pillows to my specifications, I decided I would just make them myself. After trial and error and trial again, then two patents, seven trademarks, and a lot of test marketing later, we were ready to be in the pillow making business! The need to expand our manufacturing capabilities is what led us to the Dallas Design District. It is a great area because it has functional warehouse spaces and is close to so much, including our customers, designers, and more. Moving The Pillow Bar to Howell Street was one of the best decisions we made for the growth of the business.
What do you enjoy most about having a storefront in the Dallas Design District neighborhood?
Dallas’ Design District has grown over the years into a booming business center, as well as a great place for restaurants and shops. My team and I love exploring everything around us including antique stores like Lula B’s and Uncommon Market Dallas. There are also so many restaurants around like Pie Tap, El Bolero, Town Hearth, and The Charles, all of which are absolutely delicious. Dallas Design District provides great accessibility whether that be to surrounding businesses or potential customers.
What can visitors expect when they visit The Pillow Bar?
Our location in the Dallas Design District functions more as an office and warehouse space for our manufacturing, however, we do allow customers to come in and experience the process. Many people like to touch and feel things before they buy and we completely understand! For our Dallas customers, they can schedule a time to come into our office, see and feel the pillows, as well as our other products like boyfriend shirts, pajama sets, bedding, and more. They will get to see first-hand how we create our custom down pillows and personalize all of our merchandise, right there – no outsourcing.
In your opinion, what sets The Pillow Bar apart from other local and national custom pillow and linen companies?
We do all of our own pillow manufacturing here in Dallas, right in our Design District warehouse. I invented our pillow filling machines, so they’re made custom to the client every time. All of our down pillows are made from 100% down, you won’t find any twigs or unsightly bird parts anywhere. We also try to source cotton from within the U.S. and specifically in Texas so that we’re stimulating businesses in our own backyard. We listen to our clients and create the perfect custom pillows that are made just right for them. Plus all of our pillows, bedding, pajama sets, and more are all customizable. Whether you want your monogram, a company logo, or a short phrase, we can do pretty much anything to make your purchase more personal.
If you had to describe The Pillow Bar style in one word, what would it be and why?
Classic or Custom. It’s hard to choose just one word! I say Classic because all of our items are made to fit the person and blend into their style. Our monograms and personalizations are all custom to fit the person’s style. We are all about our customers and what makes them happy. We want someone to feel amazing after they wake up from sleeping on one of our pillows and we want them to be excited to get into their monogrammed sheets every night.
Tell us about some of your favorite industry trends, collections, and/or pieces for 2021.
For us, we’re always trying to see how we can expand and grow not only within our own brand but our industry as well. We’re constantly asking ourselves questions like, what new products can we provide? What do our clients want? How can we make this better? We at The Pillow Bar listen to our clients and recognize their needs while trying to develop fun and functional products that everyone will love. We admire like-minded brands in our industry but we try to focus on ourselves and how we can make things better for our clientele.
Complete this sentence: “No bedroom is complete without __________________.”
The perfect pillow to sleep on. A great pillow is the difference between sleeping comfortably through the night and waking up with what feels like a sleep hangover. People don’t realize how much a fantastic pillow can change the way they sleep and how they feel. We hear it time and time again that our pillows, whether it’s a queen down or a side sleeper, make an actual difference in how our customers sleep. All I can say is, invest in your sleep because it’s important.
We think it’s entirely safe to say that once you make the switch to any of The Pillow Bar’s luxury products, you’ll never look back — or sleep better. So, what are you waiting for? To check out their extensive lineup of custom pillows, bedding, towels, loungewear, and more, visit their website. And, be sure to give them a follow on Instagram for all the monogram, personalization, and embroidery inspo you can imagine.
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