Store covers all floor needs

Carpeting, ceramic tiling, linoleum and carpet cleaners are just a few of the items customers can purchase at All About Floors, 3203 S. Campbell.

Steve Stolz, his wife Gail, and Gary Williams are the store's owners. Prior to opening the store, Stolz worked as a salesman in the floor covering business for 21 years.

Stolz said they opened the store last June because "there's a real need in Springfield, and the area, for a personalized decorating service and personal attention to the details of each job. Also, many retail carpet stores care more about profitability than customer satisfaction. Then customer dissatisfaction ruins profitability. The profitability comes when the store has a solid reputation."

The store's services include custom-made area rugs, selling floor cleaners and other maintenance products, selling flooring, and subcontracting the flooring installation.

"We deal with the top manufacturers from all over the world, Stolz said. "The products we represent have a good value, low cost and offer better variety than many others. Also, because we're working with the top names in the business, we have access to a better response time. This means a shorter time between when the flooring is ordered and when it arrives here at the store."

The store has three full-time employees, two working in its south Springfield warehouse and one as a handyman.

Stolz said the latest invention in the making and marketing of flooring is the softback carpet, a product new this year that is being manufactured by several carpeting companies. It is designed to be softer, eliminate any wrinkling, and avoid peaking (showing) of the seams.

Laminate floors, while not brand new, are increasingly important to the flooring industry due to innovations designed to compete with the ceramic tile and linoleum markets.

"The flooring is scratch-resistant and more puncture-resistant than hardwood or linoleum," said Stolz. "It's given us some realistic wood patterns and is appropriate for areas where we wouldn't normally put it, like kitchens and bathrooms."

Another recent change has been in linoleum. "There are more realistic-looking tile patterns now. The backing is better and durable enough to include a no tear/no gauge warranty."

Stolz said the company's forte is treating each customer like he or she is the only customer. "No two homes or circumstances are the same, so you can't have a blanket answer for things."

Stolz wants people to know what they're buying, meaning how the product will perform. "Most people have an idea of what they want, but don't know if it's possible," he said.

The store has offered financing programs, such as no interest and no payments for 12 months, and it plans to offer them again. The store also always offers its customers 90 days same as cash with approved credit.

Stolz said they regularly receive thank-you cards and letters from satisfied customers.

"We have references or we can find someone the customer knows to tell them about the work we do," he said.

All About Floors is open 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-noon. Saturday.