Ledyard, Conn.—FCNews is here for NRF Distributors’ New England Flooring Market, a one-day trade show that draws more than 250 flooring retailers from the Northeast, primarily New England states.
NRF is something of an anomaly among flooring distributors. In an age when many of the majors are being acquired or tapping into private equity money, the Augusta, Maine, wholesaler is now in its fourth generation as it enters its 51st year of business.
“We have a clear succession plan, too,” said Jonathan Stred, vice president of corporate strategy and oldest grandson of Norman Pomerleau, NRF founder. “We’re very proud of our family legacy.”
Stred is one of 15 family members playing key roles at NRF. That includes the patriarch—Pomerleau—who continues to come into the office five days a week at age 92, and keeps in touch with retail customers.
Indeed, flooring retailers attending the show said it is not uncommon for them to receive a call from Pomerleau any day of the week or be invited to lunch. The dealers said it is the culture of service and reliability that he established more than a half-century ago that continues to define this $200 million distributor.
New vendors to the group this year include SLCC Flooring, which showcased its popular Painted Sky SPC selection, among other new offerings. “We were at their fall show at Turning Stone in New York as a test, and the reaction to Painted Sky there was just overwhelming, so they welcomed us as a full time vendor,” said Vincent Circosta, chief influence officer for SLCC. “We have some great new displays to show people.”
Here, Circosta chats with Zach Kennedy of Revolution Mills during the show.
It’s not all business at NRF’s spring meeting. Mapei, for example, set up corn hole for patrons to part take in while shopping the show.
