"When it comes to flooring, we have it all," said Mo Nowrouzi, owner of the newly opened Century Flooring and Granite in Warrenton. "We try to provide all the convenience under one roof."


Nowrouzi had been in the flooring business for many years before opening the Woodbridge store.


"I've been in the flooring business for almost 25 years," he explained. "I was the manager of retail stores that did $5 to $8 million in sales each year, and I started thinking about opening my own store."

He wanted to open one close by.

"I wanted to have a store that was in my neighborhood," Nowrouzi explained. "I live in Haymarket, and I came here four years ago, but the space didn't suit. Then somebody called me about a location in Woodbridge, and the price was right."

That store opened about two and a half years ago.

"I try to keep it a family business," Nowrouzi said. "My son is involved, my daughter, my wife may work here as well."

Nowrouzi said that his son, Andrew, likely would manage the new Warrenton store. Andrew was in the store last week.

"I worked in the other store for about two years, and my father asked me if I wanted my own showroom," he stated. "We heard what was opening here in Warrenton, and when they asked us if we wanted to open a store here, we took advantage of the opportunity."



What's going down

"We have about 50 colors of granite," Mo Nowrouzi said, "and they add to it all the time as they find new quarries."

The granite generally goes into countertops or kitchen back-splashes.

Nowrouzi toured the showroom, pointing out his inventory.

"We have all kinds of laminate flooring," he said. "We have Pergo, which, if you have the right tools, you can put it down yourself. It's fantastic. It used to be glued together, but now it's tongue-and-groove. You cannot even burn the stuff. It will go down over existing flooring, even carpeting, if it doesn't have padding, and it's the strongest stuff around. They give you a 15-20 year warranty, some even have a 30-year warranty."

The laminates -- representing different manufacturers -- are not only in wood veneers, but are in other surfaces such as slate and stone as well.

The store has flooring from such manufacturers as Shaw, Mohawk, Armstrong, Congoleum and Bruce. Along with the laminates, Century Flooring and Granite has regular hardwood flooring. All kinds of carpeting is available, both residential and commercial, and the store soon will feature a wide variety of kitchen cabinets as well as countertops.

Nowrouzi said he and his family try to make decisions about flooring, cabinet and countertops a painless experience for customers.

"The idea is to create a comfortable atmosphere when people come in ... no pressure," he said.

Century Flooring and Granite is located in the Warrenton Center. The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (540) 878-2424.

Fauquier Times-Democrat, VA