Delaware Dealer Expands Operation

Rehoboth Beach, DE, August 19--Chris Cheeseman, 49, began installing carpets in 1976 in New Castle County. After he and his wife relocated to the area in 1992, Cheeseman brought his family's business, R.C. Installations, with him, independently installing carpeting across Kent and Sussex counties, according to DelmarvaNow. In May 1995, Cheeseman and his wife, Sherri, 55, a former merchandiser for Acme Markets, opened the first R.C. Carpets location in the Cove Village Shopping Center in Long Neck. The original location offered carpet, vinyl and hardwood flooring sales and installation. Initially, R.C. Carpets also provided repair service for carpets damaged by coastal flooding. The business quickly outgrew the showroom. "About five years ago we realized that we were running out of room. We wanted to stay in this area because we love Long Neck," Sherri Cheeseman explained. Eight years after opening the first store, R.C. Carpets opened its newly constructed showroom on Route 24 in Long Neck on April 2. "This is a family business that the father and mother started and the children have joined. We built this store because now we know that they'll carry it on," Cheeseman said. Cheeseman's three children from her first marriage all work for the business. Her daughter, and co-owner, Laura Riley, 38, quit her job to manage the day-to-day operations of the showroom seven years ago. "She left a very high powered job," her mother explained. "I convinced her to come down and use her knowledge in the family business. To this day, I'm so glad that she did." Sons, Bernard Riley, 39, and Skip Dilts, 34, work alongside Chris Cheeseman on the installations. "At least one member of the family is always on the installation," Sherri Cheeseman said. "We are very service oriented." "Our customers have been very good to us," Cheeseman said. In fact, the store has a number of customers who have remained loyal since 1995, using R.C. Carpets on numerous occasions. The majority of customers are residential, but they have a number of commercial contracts including Tunnel Properties and Baywood Greens golf course, Laura Riley said. Since they've been in business the Cheesemans said they have kept up with trends in flooring, namely the conversion to hardwood and laminate flooring. Cheeseman cites Exotic Woods, a popular line of hardwood flooring that is hand-beaten with chains to give it an aged, weathered look. "We try to carry everything. Whatever we don't have, if they ask for it, we try to get it," she explained. Customers can choose from hundreds of samples of carpeting by Mohawk, Shaw, Beaulieu, Dupont Stainmaster, and Scotchguard. Carpet mills make twice-weekly deliveries to the showroom and Cheeseman is confident that once the carpet is ordered it can be installed within two weeks. Installation is included in the price of the carpeting and the average installation takes only a few hours. There are a number of variables involved in deciding to recarpet or install permanent flooring like laminate or hardwood, but usually "it's a woman's prerogative," Cheeseman said, laughing. "There are women who come in looking to change their whole Decor." Those customers are usually making the change from carpet to hardwood or laminate, she said. The Cheesemans are flippant about the competition from big stores that promote "do-it-yourself" services and related supplies. "We are very service oriented," Cheeseman said. "We mostly work on word of mouth. I've done that since the day we opened. We get a lot of repeat customers, and a lot of word-of-mouth customers. I do very little advertising." A two-month calendar, every day overflowing with names and times, hangs behind her desk, succinctly proving her point. "You know you're doing a good job when they're bringing other people in."

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