Article Number : 3506 |
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| Date | 7/30/2008 8:54:36 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=3506 |
| Abstract | Jim Young, owner of Accent Floors in Concord, Calif., is a 34-year flooring industry veteran who boasts an entrepreneurial spirit... |
| Article | Accent Floors Concord, CA Jim Young, owner of Accent Floors in Concord, Calif., is a 34-year flooring industry veteran who boasts an entrepreneurial spirit. His journey is defined not only by success and adaptation, but also the requisite knowledge that he needed to become part of something much bigger than his own entity. Young’s flooring career began in Los Angeles in 1974 with the purchase of the single-store The Carpet Maker. He would later open Save-On Carpet Wholesalers in Laguna Niguel, which would grow to 10 locations throughout Southern California by 1984. But the business could not withstand the recessionary 1980s, when sales fell from $8 million to less than $5 million. “The overhead became impossible,” he said. “We did everything we could to avoid going bankrupt, negotiating our way out of leases and selling the stores to various managers.” Young would later relocate to Northern California, where he’d open six Carpet Worlds between 1988 and 1994 before launching Accent Floors in 1994. Fifteen months ago he sought to grow in an entirely new way: by becoming the first S&G Carpet & More affiliate. Why? He determined the biggest factor negatively impacting Accent Floors’ growth was its location. “When I first opened, I was flanked by a 50,000-squarefoot furniture store and 20,000-square-foot appliance store, so there was lots of related trade. After about 10 years they both moved. This commercial area became somewhat blighted.” Despite attempting to make his store more visible through signage and large advertisements, he felt additional exposure was necessary to expand his business. At the same time, Young’s lease was up for renewal. He bolted to Concord. Young decided a strong relationship with an established retailer throughout his trading area was just what he needed. Upon seeing the announcement of the launch of the S&G affiliate program in Floor Covering News in January 2007, he instantly contacted the company. “There is an overall acceptance and instant credibility from customers knowing who you are,” he said. A major selling point of the program was the “vast advertising opportunities that are typically unavailable with other buying groups,” Young said. His business is linked directly to the 1-800 number and receives “referrals through S&G’s good name and Web site.” He benefits from the pricing advantages and piggyback advertising, and is “impressed with the proprietary products that create differentiation.” So how’s he doing? “We were losing market share and dollars each month, and now we are gaining each month,” he said. “What’s more, we are optimistic that S&G’s advertising presence will continue our growth.” Young takes pride in being the first affiliate and appreciates the additional time he has to manage his business. Having S&G take care of the merchandising, marketing, product selection, purchasing and monthly assistance allows him more time to sell to customers and focus on expanding his business. That expansion includes building an additional location in Brentwood, which he hopes to open before the end of the year. This will, in turn, give S&G a broader geographical presence. |