LAST ROUNDUP: The victim of a plummeting economy, a collapsed housing market, high unemployment and retrenched consumer spending, Rodeo Carpet Mills ceased production on Jan. 15 and shuttered the building. Carmen Murray, owner and president, in a letter to her customers, wrote... more

This is where I get the opportunity to use my four favorite words. To all the people who looked at me like I had two heads when, in the months leading up to Surfaces, I said the exhibitors at flooring’s No. 1 market would... more

By now you have already decided whether you are attending Surfaces. If you’re not on a plane as you read this or not already in Las Vegas, odds are you are subjecting your business to splinters by riding the pine. Too bad. You’re missing out. And ironically... more

EUREKA: The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) struck gold—the mother lode. The innovative and indefatigable retail advocacy organization—the industry’s largest—has been honored by the North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS) with the prestigious... more

I have spent a great deal of time with suppliers and retailers over the past few months. National Floorcovering Alliance. Mohawk Floorscapes. Carpet One. Flooring America. The common denominator is that many have seen signs of emergence from the recession. It may not be steady, it may not be consistent, but it’s enough cause for optimism... more

PRICE HIKES: Looks like the carpet price hikes that were originally announced for October, then rescinded, are back on. The mills have announced that come January they will be raising prices by at least 4%. Unlike the failed fall hike, this one appears likely to stick. The carpet manufactures have done a... more

BIG SHORT: For the second year in a row, Beaulieu’s training efforts have stood out among the best. At its annual workshop at the NorthWest Georgia Trade & Convention Center in Dalton, the Georgia Society for Technical Training and... more

Anyone who thinks the U.S. government is not serious about enforcing the Lacey Act should think again. For those who may have been orbiting the moon for the last two years, a person or company that imports into the United States illegally harvested plants or... more

GREEN POWER: If you want an indication of how big the green movement is getting, look no further than the skyrocketing growth and pull of the annual Greenbuild exhibition and conference. Beyond the sheer number of attendees and... more

The last eight weeks have been a blur. I’ve visited more places and seen more faces in the last two months than I can remember. Gulliver had nothing on me... more