Floors & More is gearing up for its annual convention, slated to take place March 9-11 in historic Charleston, S.C. This year’s conference theme, appropriately named “Legacy,” accentuates the rich history of the organization.
“Charleston is a historic city with a lot of history—and we are historic group,” said Vinnie Virga, Jr., president/integrator of Floors & More. “We’ve got Floor to Ceiling stores, Big Bob’s Flooring Outlets and Floors & More dealers. We’ve got our members and their brands and their brand’s legacies. But at the same time, we’re thinking about the future and the grand narrative that we’re telling: You can look to the past to guide you towards the future, but you also have to know when to leave the path behind and move forward with new technologies and new ideas and a changing landscape.”
For Virga Jr., that means ensuring the group continues to grow, learn and evolve. “If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that the flooring industry is evolving and changing—it’s not staying static,” he said. “For 2026, we’re working to make sure our members embrace that mindset.”
To that end, Floors & More is planning an event that’s both educational and engaging. The conference will include an opening reception, a keynote presentation conducted by Virga Jr. and a state-of-the-industry overview led by Vinnie Virga, Sr., Floors & More founder and CEO. In addition, there will be exhibit hall featuring the group’s primary vendors as well as breakout sessions and, of course, meals–plus, a few surprises.
“On the stage we’ll be talking about marketing, merchandising, networking and other key issues,” Virga Jr. said. “We’re also bringing back the roundtables, but with a twist: we’re actually going to be rotating member seats throughout the show so they’re not just sitting with the same people for the entire event. So they’re constantly going to be changing who they’re talking to, where those people are from, the size of their business, etc. This will give attendees lots of perspectives instead of being very insulated in whatever group they sit with to start the show.”
Also returning are the popular Floors & More panel discussions featuring retail store owners. “That was incredibly well received last year, and so we’re going to bring that back for this year’s event,” Virga Jr. stated. What subjects will be disussed this year? “I am sure we’re going to be talking about AI and the impact that it has had on search, on paid advertising and just that evolving landscape because it’s changed a lot since the group last met. Thankfully, we have the right partners in that space and we’re doing a lot of research to make sure that our members are on the positive end of the AI boom and how it’s affecting search behavior.”
More importantly, the Floors & More annual meeting is an opportunity for attendees from around the country to get together and share best practices, success stories and ideas—all in one setting. “We look at it as our annual family reunion,” Virga Jr. said. “It’s the one chance every year to get everyone together.”
It’s something that’s not lost on members. “I am very excited to attend this year’s convention,” said Kim Weber, owner and manager of Steamway Floor to Ceiling, Greeley, Colo. “I’m especially interested in learning more about new technology, products and tools that other members and vendors are using to help grow and improve their businesses. It’s always great to gain fresh ideas and insights from Vinnie and his staff along with the guest speakers and fellow members.”
Weber also applauds Floors & More’s decision to change the show’s format and location. Typically held in Las Vegas two days prior to the kick-off of Surfaces—followed by a summer event eight months later—Floors & More in 2025 opted to hold one longer, dedicated event moving forward. “The change that Floors & More has made to move from two conventions a year has gone well as we get to have it in different parts of the country,” she explained. “It’s smaller and more personal than Surfaces, and we get more one-on-one time with the vendors to see their new products for the year.”
Management might very well be onto something. Conference registration figures show this year’s event is on course to break internal records. “We expect it’s going to be our biggest conference yet,” Virga Jr. stated. “We’ve grown tremendously. Since our show last year we’ve added 12 new members and we’ve probably got another three or four coming on board soon. We’re still in growth mode.”
Open-door policy
For retailers still on the fence about joining a group, Floors & More continues its open-door policy as it relates to first-time, non-member dealers. For those that fit the bill, Virga Jr. has this message: “If you’re looking for best-in-class digital marketing and you’re a flooring retailer, we would encourage you to come to our show. If you’re an independent flooring retailer and you’re looking for a buying group or a network to be a part of, we would encourage you to come check out our show. We have an open-door policy.”
Work hard, play hard
In keeping with past Floors & More events, there will be fun activities planned for attendees. While in Charleston, guests will have an opportunity to board a decommissioned aircraft carrier docked in the Port of Charleston. “We’ve rented out the top deck of the aircraft carrier, and it’s all reserved for our group,” Virga Jr. said. “We’re bringing in a flight simulator so attendees can simulate flying an aircraft. We’re going to have an open bar, fully catered meals and a dee-jay there.”
The fun doesn’t end there. On the final day of the event, Floors & More attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in the city’s popular horse carriage tours downtown. The tour will end at a rooftop bar where guests will enjoy karaoke, festive beverages and a fully catered meal.
“We expect it’s going to be a really cool event,” Virga Jr. said.