Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. This week, we asked: In terms of business, where have your bright spots been?
Here are their responses:
“Our rug business has really accelerated over the last 18 months. With the popularity of hard surfaces, customers are wanting to warm up their spaces with rugs. We’re also seeing a push toward better quality rugs after clients have been burned by these cheap washable rugs that don’t meet clients’ expectations.”
— Matt Wien, Marshall Flooring, Mayfield Heights, Ohio
“Our market right now has been down, but I will say the silver lining is that our team has been able to collectively come together and collaborate on new ways to bring in leads and create new avenues for business development. Having the time to foster this collaboration has made for a more unified work family, for which I am grateful.”
— Rebecca Tonowski, BFC Flooring & Design Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
“Residential replacement is currently pushing the needle the most. We have had a few good properties flips from property management companies as of late as well. March was stronger than expected; let’s hope that momentum keeps up.”
— Ben Case, The Carpet Collection, Lockport, N.Y.
“In contrast to residential retail and new construction, the Main Street commercial segment remains strong for us. Companies are updating their facilities as they transition from a mobile to an on-site workforce.”
— Bobby Merideth, Flooring America OKC, Oklahoma City
“We’ve seen a recent uptick in retail traffic. The tariffs are still of interest to customers, but it seems like the initial shock is starting to wear off and consumers are returning to their normal routine.”
— Tom Heffner, About All Floors, Douglassville, Pa.
