As a sole proprietor, Paul La Torre knows what it’s like to abruptly lose $1.4 million in business after his two largest flooring customers went bankrupt during the Great Recession. Bruised and battered, La Torre managed to survive to fight another day. The greatest lesson from that experience? It’s much better to go into battle with an army than by yourself.
“I had been alone in this industry for 33 years,” said La Torre, owner of Artisan Floors & Interiors, Cape May Court House, N.J.
That all changed Aug. 30, 2023, when La Torre accepted an invitation from Harold Traister to join Abbey Carpet & Floor.
“Harold came in to solicit us,” La Torre said of the well-respected industry veteran. “How do you say no to Harold? How do you say no to Abbey? I felt quite honored by their visit to our showroom.”
In retrospect, La Torre said the decision to join Abbey was a “no-brainer.” He sensed that the Abbey program and philosophy aligned with his perfectly. “I felt that being part of one of the largest independent flooring dealer groups was important as we are up against the big box stores and strong regional players like Avalon Flooring. Now we can boast and enjoy the benefits and perks of being part of an established brand like Abbey.”
A year into membership, La Torre has already reaped the rewards of Abbey membership. Sales are up nearly 20% year over year, during a time when many flooring dealers are down double digits.
La Torre cited Abbey’s exclusive private-label program with giving him an edge. As a sole proprietor, La Torre said he yearned to offer private-label products as a differentiator but was unable to. “Here at Abbey, it was done for me at no cost; it was so easy. I had wanted to bring in upscale lines, an upscale showroom, in the past. Abbey fulfilled that mission; they made it easy, gave me guidance and paid for the sampling.”
As a newly minted Abbey retailer, La Torre has been able to increase his offering of upscale lines and have access to more than 75 suppliers. “As a result, we have had a noticeable increase in upper-end tile and carpet lines, which I directly attribute to our relationship with Abbey,” he said.
As an Abbey member, La Torre said he enjoys the best of both worlds—he can maintain his independence while taking advantage of the many programs and services of a large buying group. “The Abbey agreements and contracts are fair and equitable; the program and contractual obligations do not constrain me. Essentially the program is free, the samples were free, the website was free. There is marketing help, monthly sales offers and streamlined pricing online to name a few.”
La Torre said having easy access to Abbey executives Steve Mintz (vice president of franchise development), Traister and Bobby Thompson (vice president of merchandising and member services) is well worth what he pays in monthly fees. “The expertise Abbey offers me is invaluable and has already paid dividends and kept my margins up.”
No letup in 2024
Artisan Floors and Interiors has enjoyed a stellar 2024 to date, up 19% year over year. Surprisingly, its retail business is up more than 20%. “We have traditionally always had a mix of at least 33% commercial work or greater,” Torre said. “We aren’t making those numbers. We are about 10% this year in commercial, which is a problem. However, it has been offset by our strong retail performance and local builder work.”
With Abbey on his side, La Torre said his business is well positioned. His team of eight includes two sons, John and Zack, a son-in-law, Christopher Robson, and his “adopted business son,” Jeff Morgan, whom La Torre describes as “the heart and soul” of the business.
“We look out and see a bright future,” he said.
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