Flooring 'Retail Lion' Harvey Nusbaum Has Died

Orlando, FL, March 2, 2024-The flooring industry lost one of its “retail lions” this week with the passing of Harvey Nusbaum.

Nusbaum’s flooring career spanned nearly 50 years at all levels of the retail industry, culminating with assignments at New York Carpet World and Empire Today, where he retired in 2018 after 15 years of leading its merchandising team.

For those that had the privilege of bidding and negotiating on one of the coveted “Empire’s Slots” with Harvey, it was an experience to be remembered. He was always the constant flooring professional, an old-school negotiator, and an all-around gentlemen. Many of us in the industry are all telling “Harvey stories” amongst each other in his honor today.

Nusbaum was proceeded in death by his loving wife, Ann ,whom he worked with closely in his final ten years at Empire. Together, they made one of the most capable and astute buying and merchandising teams in the flooring business.

A Detroit native, Nusbaum has lived in the Orlando area for the past six years where he has enjoyed his retirement and spending time with Callie and Maggie, his two therapy dogs with whom he would visit hospitals and senior centers regularly. Nusbaum passed away in Orlando February 29 at age 71 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier the same month. Godspeed good friend! By Tom Lape, retired president of sales for Mohawk