Old T.G.I. Friday’s to become mattress store

The empty Ammon building that once housed T.G.I. Friday’s is going to become a Mattress Firm.

Local subcontractors are completely gutting the restaurant to transform it into a mattress showroom.

Mattress Firm is the largest mattress retailer in the world, with over 1,000 locations.

DLP Construction, an Atlanta-based firm, is in charge of the project.

“We’ve never been so busy since the construction market crashed five or so years ago,” said DLP superintendent Jay Franklin, who has overseen construction for several new Mattress Firms in recent months.

T.G.I. Friday’s closed its doors for good in late 2011. Since then, the building’s owner tried to lease the space to a different restaurant. Brent Wilson, who handled the lease, said Mattress Firm offered more money than restaurant owners.

The Mattress Firm could open as soon as this April.