For John Posimato, owner of Flooring Liquidators, the largest complete flooring company in the tri-state area, building a successful floor covering business isn't just about negotiating the best contracts from the most coveted suppliers or having the pulse on the most in-demand eco-friendly wood products. For this one-time small foods truck driver, it's as much about making strategic real estate your standing on, as much as the floor you're covering it with.
This October, Posimato built on his company's already stellar reputation, as a start-to-finish supplier boasting the largest flooring inventory in the tri-state area, by opening a third location in Mt. Kisco, N.Y.
A native to the Bronx's Frog's Neck neighborhood, Posimato is a natural entrepreneur. When asked about previous employers, he coolly replied, "I've always been self-employed. I've been working for myself since I was a kid."
After getting his start in the early '80s, driving his own Wise Potato Chip route over the same streets he grew up on in New York City's northernmost borough, Posimato entered into the flooring business, giving up his truck route to become a partner with Sam's Flooring Company in White Plains. Working there for sixteen years, he learned every detail and intricacy of the flooring industry. And, in 2007, having honed this knowledge to a fine point, Posimato struck out on his own and opened the first Flooring Liquidators store in Elmsford, N.Y.
Determined to provide an unparallel start-to-finish flooring service, capable of dwarfing his competition, Posimato created a business model aimed at satisfying the needs of everyone from contractors to newlyweds. By purchasing flooring in large quantities, he succeeded at setting his prices low enough to be affordable for even the tightest budget, but, unlike other retailers dedicated to low prices, Posimato matched the extreme savings he offered with an equal dedication to quality customer care and a selection as wide as his inventory was massive.
To guarantee this high caliber of customer service was met, Posimato insisted that, before working with clients, all members of his sales and installation staff would be required to earn certification from Armstrong Flooring. This dedication, to quality customer service and installation, made such a resounding impression on Armstrong Flooring that, currently, Flooring Liquidators is the only company in the tri-state area to be granted membership into the Armstrong Elite Program. A membership that entitles John's company to offer customers an additional five year warranty on all Armstrong Products.
Two years later, in 2009, thanks to the success of his business model, Posimato opened a second Flooring Liquidators location in Teterboro, New Jersey. Adhering to the principles and standards that fostered success in Elmsford, Flooring Liquidators popularity grew on both sides of the Hudson.
Today, Flooring Liquidators is the tri-state area's largest complete flooring company, with the original Elmsford location serving as both a store and the company's headquarters. Dedicated to maintaining their spot, as having the tri-state area's largest flooring inventory, and intent on evolving with consumer demand, Flooring Liquidators now provides an extensive selection of eco-friendly flooring options.
Set on continuing the company's expansion and success, Posimato's new Flooring Liquidators location in Mt. Kisco, seeks to expand the company's image amongst upper class communities, while remaining accessible to people of any budget. Customized to meet the needs of the affluent community in and around Mt. Kisco, Posimato's new 6,000 s/f store - consisting of a 3,500 s/f showroom supported by a 2,500
s/f warehouse - is the most high-end in the company's rapidly expanding portfolio. But the question is, for how long?
Flooring Liquidators' expansion and growth seems to feed Posimato's ambition as much as it satisfies his goals. Plans are already underway to open a fourth Flooring Liquidators location, in Lake Carmel, shortly after the New Year, with the intention of opening three additional stores by the end of 2012.
With each of these new stores, choosing the right location is an essential part of the Flooring Liquidators' expansion strategy. For the property to be right, traffic is essential, as is a preexisting shopping community. Posimato looks for neighboring retailers that share a similar consumer base as Flooring Liquidators in communities that currently lack a store dedicated to flooring.
These new stores mark the beginning of Flooring Liquidators' transition from a tri-state flooring industry titan to a national chain.
When asked what he loved the most about the flooring business, Posimato said, "The best part about flooring is watching something change. If you know what you're doing, you can really make someone's home or office a better place. A nice new floor, laid down the right way, can really breathe life into a room. It's fun seeing that before and after." Tags: