50 years of floors to ceilings | News, Sports, Jobs

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Photo by Jim Muchlinski
Lowell and Art Matthys operate the Floor to Ceiling store on West Main Street in Marshall. They will celebrate their 50th anniversary as a family business on Sunday and hold an open house on Wednesday.

MARSHALL — Art and Lowell Matthys know what it takes to have staying power in a constantly changing business environment.

They’ll celebrate 50 years of operations at Floor to Ceiling on West Main Street in Marshall on Sunday. An open house is planned for Wednesday.

In the past 50 years, they’ve kept pace with rapidly changing customer preferences in the decorating industry. Styles of carpet, floor covering and fixtures that are popular today might be outdated within less than a year.

“We see a lot of turnover with our product lines,” Art said. “The technology changes and it gets better each time. It’s designed to meet customer demand for easy care, durability and the ability to be kid proof and pet proof.”

Art went into business for himself in 1971 after working in Marshall for Great Plains Natural Gas and Running’s. The business began in the 1970s as Plywood Minnesota. The name was changed to Floor to Ceiling after a sale of Plywood Minnesota franchises.

The name change corresponded to the way wall paneling was extremely popular in 1970s, but then gave way to other customer preferences.

“In the early days people would walk down the aisles and see more than 100 different selections of paneling,” Art said. “Now we haven’t stocked any paneling in 15 years.”

He noted that wallpaper had a similar fate in the 1980s. At first it was popular as an alternative to paneling. Eventually, however, it also nearly disappeared as customers preferred paint.

The name Floor to Ceiling has stood the test of time as something that encompasses changes in wall preferences as well as the enduring popularity of carpet vinyl, and cabinets.

Those areas of the business have seen continuous technology innovation. One example is with the counter surfaces used in conjunction with new cabinets.

“People spend more on average to replace cabinets than they did in the past,” Art said. “It’s trended away from wood and Formica. Now many people are willing to pay more for solid counter surfaces.”

Carpet has seen similar innovation with the popularity of tile and carpet combinations. A tile base makes the carpet easier to install and maintain.

Lowell said one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of meeting individual customer needs. He said recommendations for materials depend on each customer’s square footage, price range and tastes.

“Often they’ll bring in something from a magazine and want the same items,” he said. “It hardly ever ends up exactly the same. We talk to them about the options, find out what works best and go from there.”

He said it’s rewarding to get repeat business. One customer has completed three total kitchen remodels over the years through Floor to Ceiling. In some cases he and Art have worked with three generations of families.

Over the years there’s been a shift from mostly do-it-yourself purchasers to people who want full service with design, estimating and installation.

Another trend involves custom ordering. In the past most purchases were made from in-stock items. About 90 percent is now ordered direct from the factory.

Lowell said business tends to fluctuate according to the local economy, with more people interested in home improvement projects when it’s favorable for farmers and manufacturing companies.

‘We’ve been blessed in 2021, and it looks like the trend could continue,” he said. “Interest rates are very favorable right now. If people have wanted home improvements, now is a good time to invest in them.”

Art and Lowell have found that loyal customers and good employees are critical to staying in business as consumer demands change. They’re enjoying the opportunity to celebrate a 50th anniversary.

“It’s been a huge goal for us to make it for 50 years,” Lowell said. “It feels really good to hit that mark. We appreciate all the support the community has given us.”



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