New Flooring Design store in Dannevirke opens

Dannevirke Flooring Design owner Kevin Edwards and sales/administrator Sharon Hall in the newly-opened store on High St. Photo / Sue Emeny

For the first time in almost 10 years Dannevirke has a specialist flooring retailer.

Anticipation was high when a sign first appeared in the window of a vacant High St shop announcing the impending opening of a flooring supplier.

Eight months later, on Monday March 1, after a thorough refurbishment the doors to Flooring Design opened.

Business owner Kevin Edwards, from Pahiatua, bought the building after Healthnuts, which had occupied the premises for 36 years, relocated to Barraud St.

"I bought the building in August but because I still owned a business in Palmerston North I didn't want to make a half-ditched effort in refurbishing it so I put it on the back-burner, doing what I could when I could."

When Kevin sold his Palmerston North business in February he was able to concentrate fully on his new enterprise and carried out an extensive renovation, completing all the work himself.

"I don't think anything had been done to the shop for about 50 years."

However, what he liked about the building was its location and that it was wooden.

"It's not double brick or concrete so I won't have any earthquake issues."

Kevin is a long-time Wairarapa resident, growing up on a farm near Carterton. He completed his apprenticeship as a joiner, went farming then completed his apprenticeship in carpet and vinyl laying.

"I went back farming after that because I love farming but because of practicalities I returned to the flooring industry which I've been in for the last 20 years."

Kevin went on to own Carpet King Flooring Design on the corner of Tremaine Ave and North St, Palmerston North, a multimillion-dollar business.

"We had a number of big commercial projects on the go so I needed to see those through to the end."

One of those jobs was to oversee the laying of 2000 lineal metres of vinyl at AgResearch at Massey.

Over the years Kevin's business has worked on anything and everything when it comes to flooring, from carpeting luxury yachts, luxury homes, multi-storey commercial buildings, rest homes through to rentals.

Moving from owning a business of that scale to owning one in Dannevirke is a complete contrast but is a move Kevin is relishing.

"In business big isn't always better. Downsizing means I can be more hands-on and I can get to know the community."

Kevin has had a steady stream of customers already and has been kept busy providing free measuring and quotes.

In the week and a half since opening Kevin has already carried out 10 measures.

He says part of that is locals making the most of not having to go out of town for new flooring and part of that is the boom the industry is enjoying as people are unable to travel overseas so are renovating their homes instead.

"All the trades are booming but there's a shortage of tradespeople across the board. In Masterton there's a three-year wait to get a new home built."

Flooring Design has a wide range of carpet, vinyl and wood flooring available in its High St showroom.

With new stock samples still arriving Flooring Design can offer an extensive range of carpets, vinyls and wooden flooring.

"Woollen carpets have had a hard knock but they are coming back. A year ago woollen carpets made up 17 per cent of sales but since Feltex was bought out by an American company things have started to pick up as Americans are very much into woollen carpets.

"Because this is a farming community I have bought as much woollen carpet as I could, but farmers are starting to buy nylon carpet as they realise the practicality of it.

"Nylon carpets have changed over the years and they are now anti-static and stain resistant."

While most of his products need to be ordered in and delivery time varies, Kevin says he has bought in some rolls of stock to enable him to carry out urgent jobs.

He has a team of four carpet layers to call on and intends getting back to his trade himself. He also hopes to take on an apprentice.

Kevin has taken on Sharon Hall in the role of sales and administration.

"I wanted to employ a local person and what I saw in Sharon was her can-do attitude. She has come on in leaps and bounds."

While new to the flooring industry Sharon says as the daughter of a builder she is familiar with reading floor plans and is skilled at pattern matching.

Flooring Design will have its official opening on Saturday March 20 when specials will be offered as well as a draw for $1000 to go toward a customer's flooring.