Flooring America Members Persevere in Wake of Katr
Manchester, NH October 3, 2005--The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have been far-reaching, touching the lives of most Americans.
Among the numerous business owners affected by the destruction have been several Flooring America members. These members, who are both local business owners and residents in some of the devastated communities, have responded with admirable perseverance.
Gary Canizaro, who owns Premiere Flooring America in Kenner, Louisiana, is just one business owner dealing day-by-day with the trials presented in reopening his store in the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes. After 27 years in business on the western edge of New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina has become Canizaro’s biggest hurdle to date. His store sustained damaged floors, walls, displays, and inventory. To add to the obstacles, the store also was without electricity and only allowed minimal water usage for weeks.
However, Canizaro remarkably reopens next week, despite Hurricane Rita and on schedule with his initial estimates following Hurricane Katrina. It has been an effort of will, but Canizaro is thankful that the damage was not worse and that his friends were so generous in a time of need.
Scott Steel, owner of Buddy and Wanda’s Flooring America in Houston, is one friend who helped Canizaro a few days after Katrina hit. Steel shipped two generators about 270 miles overnight to arrive via a regional distributor at Halpin’s Flooring America, located about 60 miles north of Canizaro’s inaccessible New Orleans store. Halpin’s manager Larry Thibodeaux, who offered Canizaro office and warehouse space, was surprised to see the unexpected generators, but understood once he saw the address to Canizaro, who arrived that day to pick them up.
“Any member would have done the same thing if they had received the call,” said Steel humbly, a 10-year member who also serves on Flooring America’s Advisory Board. Nearly a month after helping Canizaro, Steel found himself boarding up his own stores and home and heading out of Houston to take shelter at the home of Kelby Frederick, owner of Flooring America of Denton in Texas. It took Steel and his family 26 hours to complete the typically 5-hour drive. Steel returned to Houston immediately after Rita’s passing and fortunately learned that his two stores remained undamaged.
“The offering of support was overwhelming,” said Canizaro, who, mere days after Katrina, participated in a Flooring America conference call with more than 100 other members, who offered shipping crews, materials, housing, and a monetary support fund.
An unexpected challenge now facing store owners trying to service areas affected by the hurricanes is revamping their installation business to meet the overwhelming demand. In addition, store owners, their employees, and their customers are trying hard to find ways to cope with the work and expenses that lie before them. As a result, Flooring America is working with CitiFinancial to develop special financing and payment plans for customers trying to repair their lives and their homes.
Flooring America is trying to maintain contact with their members in the hurricane-ravaged south as well as keeping these updates available online for other concerned members. So far, only one store has sustained serious damage as a result of Hurricane Rita, though to what extent is unknown to Flooring America at this time. Flooring America has also gathered and delivered care packages to those members and their staff hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina.
“It’s during a time such as this that we realize the importance of the friendships and relationships that we have all developed over the years,” said Vinnie Virga, president of Flooring America. “The sense of family among our members, employees, and our corporate staff is truly exceptional and unique.”
