This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Located at 800 S. Main Street, Carpet Exchange has opened its showroom on July 13 to the public.
Carpet Exchange is a family-owned business with over 19 locations, Longmont being the newest. Bruce Odette and his family have 18 stores in Colorado and one in Wyoming.
While the name can be deceiving, the store sells more than carpet. They are a design center that offers all types of flooring, tile, countertops, and more.
Customers can walk into the 10,000 ft showroom and interact with the displays, allowing them to find the materials that work best in their space. Customers are also encouraged to take advantage of the sample check-out system so they can see what the product will look like inside their home.
Jim Kanka, manager of the Longmont location, states that Carpet Exchange prides itself on how they treat people. This includes making sure their customers have the education and knowledge around all the products they sell.
When visiting the showroom, it's all hands on deck. Lynn, the administrative assistant, was happy to help the otherwise occupied staff by showing people around. She is a Longmont resident and was able to answer questions on the materials throughout the showroom.
But the idea also extends to how they treat their employees. One of the mandates, upon being hired as a store manager, that Kanka received was that it was extremely important that he take care of his team. Kanka, a former small business owner, felt like this was a perfect fit for him.
