The Floor Trader to Open 10 Stores in Michigan

Detroit, MI, May 10, 2007--The Floor Trader, a St. Louis-based midsize flooring retailer, plans to open 10 stores in Michigan--most of them in Metro Detroit--over the next three years, the company said Wednesday, according to the Detroit News.

The newspaper said that the company is planning to open six to eight franchises in Metro Detroit, but the locations haven't been determined yet, said Mark Jameson, the company's vice president of franchise development.

However, he said the company is scouting high-traffic areas with established shopping districts, such as Novi, Livonia and Sterling Heights. The Floor Trader expects to open the first stores late this year or early in 2008.

Each store will encompass about 12,000 square feet and employ up to seven workers. The privately-held company has 12 stores across the country, including one in Saginaw.

The Floor Trader sells inexpensive flooring -- everything from tile and wood laminate to carpeting -- that customers can purchase and take home from the store.

The company does not offer installation services. However, if a customer isn't handy with tools, the staff will help find a floor installer, Jameson said.

While Michigan's foundering economy might give most national retailers pause, the Floor Trader sees plenty of opportunity.

Because many Michigan homeowners have been unable to sell their homes in a stagnant housing market, they are opting to remodel.

And that has made flooring companies in demand, Jameson said.

"We believe we built a better mouse trap," Jameson said, referring to the concept of buying and picking up flooring immediately, instead of waiting for delivery and installation.

"Despite everything that's happened in the (Detroit) area, we think we can take market share," he said.

The company also noted that more than $2.06 billion in construction is projected in the Detroit area in 2007 and these places need flooring.

The Floor Trader's rivals in Metro Detroit include Lumber Liquidators, a nationwide chain specializing in flooring with two Michigan locations, one in Redford.

Nationwide, spending on home improvement projects is up more than 5 percent over last year, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute.

The company's decision to expand in Michigan is a positive sign, said Mike Shore, chief communications officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The economy may not be great, but businesses still have a chance to be successful here, he said.

"We tend to hear bad economic news, but the reality is much of what's happening here is good news," Shore said.

"There's a great deal of vitality in Michigan," he added. "A lot of business is taking place here every day."

The Floor Trader is a brand of CCA Global Partners, the nation's largest flooring conglomerate. CCA has 3,600 locations and has $8 billion in annual sales, Jameson said.

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