Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Capitol Floors & Interiors owners Lori and Blake Woodland have weathered an economic recession, battles with big chain stores and now the Sept. 11th fallout to keep their local business thriving.

Businesses ride crest of floor improvement craze

Area flooring, carpet sellers talk of boon times during slowdown

ALEX GOFF FOR THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- It has been an odd 12 months in the South Sound business world -- Nisqually Earthquake, recession, struggling stock market and terrorist attacks.

And it seems when people opted to stay home in the wake of Sept. 11, their eyes strayed from the horizon down to ... their floors.

The attention is part of a trend to make homes more homey, and it has been an unexpected boost to flooring and carpet stores. A boost that has carried over into the new year.

"We're getting into the busy time, when spring starts to come and people really get motivated," said Lori Woodland, who co-owns Capitol Floors & Interiors on Olympia's west side with her husband, Blake. "They're checking the carpets and making changes. What has been unusual about this year is that we have been really busy in January and February."

Woodland isn't exactly sure why, but she speculates that a lot of homeowners have been buying during that time because of favorable interest rates for mortgages and refinancing.

"People are buying homes and need carpeting and flooring, or maybe they've refinanced and are putting money into their homes," Woodland said. "I think people have also been traveling less, and they're looking around their home and trying to make where they are a little cheerier and a little brighter."

Gary Tuller, who owns Tuller's Hardwood Floors, also has seen an increase in business.

'More work'

"I don't know where their money's coming from, but I am experiencing more work at this time than I usually do," Tuller said. "We're doing more new installations and refinishings, and I've seen an incline in both types of work."

It's good news for Capitol Floors & Interiors, which opened its doors in 1956 and has continued to succeed despite major chains trying to take market share.

The Woodlands bought the store 16 months ago after hearing that longtime owner Kurt Meier was interested in selling. Since then, the Woodlands have gone on something of a marketing blitz, hitting print, radio, and soon television with advertising for their store.

"That sort of marketing hasn't been done in a long time for this store," Woodland said.

Experienced workers

The store has hired two new salespeople -- John Beach and Susan Somers -- who have both been in the flooring business for more than 18 years.

That's how you compete with the major home improvement chains, Woodland said. Advertise and have experienced people on staff.

"We compete with customer service," she said. "People go into the big box stores find the products, but they get no customer service. We're fully staffed with salespeople to help them select products, styles, and, and answer questions. We say, bring on the box stores.

"Home Depot was thinking about moving in right behind us, and the more we thought about it, the more we thought it would be great for us. People would go in there, not find the help they wanted, and come looking for someone who would help them."

In a market where people aren't taking too many risks, homeowners are certainly shaking things up when it comes to their floors. Many are ditching carpeting for hard surfaces, including ceramic tile and laminate woods.

Area rugs also are big, since ceramic tile isn't exactly cozy.

For 20 years Blake Woodland was a flooring installer, and decided along with Lori to go into the retail business. The longtime Olympia residents knew that Capitol Floors had a good reputation and jumped at the chance to buy from Meier.

"Our kids go to Capital High School, we're involved with the Westside Rotary and Olympia Master Builders, so we're very happy," Lori Woodland said. "This is the perfect location for us."

South Sound Profile runs Wednesdays in The Olympian. To suggest a business to be featured, call 360-754-5403.

For more Business stories go to the Business section.

Capitol Floors & Interiors

- Owners: Lori and Blake Woodland

- Location: 1217 Cooper Point Road S.W., Olympia

- Telephone: 360-357-5559

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