ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110077
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
Personalized service and quality workmanship at competitive prices are the building blocks of Deluxe Floors, its manager says.
"We market our good work," said Barbara Pendleton, store manager for the family business on Virginia 24 east of Vinton.
And it is quickly apparent to customers that there is another important ingredient - a casual friendliness.
The people who operate the business all make customers feel relaxed and at home.
In addition to Pendleton, there is the owner, Bobby Chumbley; Donna Hall, sales associate; and Chumbley's son, Robby, the company's estimator.
All of these ingredients come together to build a base of satisfied customers, and Bobby Chumbley is gratified that this combination is working well for Deluxe.
"Repeat business is what keeps us going," he said.
The fact that the company has been in business since 1948 also helps.
"If people know you have been in business for a long time," Chumbley said, "they know you are not a fly-by-night operation, and they will keep coming back."
The company was founded by Robert Chumbley Jr., who retired in 1980 and turned the business over to his son Bobby. The business began in Roanoke, moved to Bedford, then settled at its present location in 1988.
The company tries to keep up with changes in the industry and customer tastes, Chumbley said.
"In the last five years, we've had to buy all new equipment ... We've had to get a newer type of floor sander that picks up dust better than the older model we had."
Floor sanding has taken on more importance in recent years, Chumbley said, because there is a growing interest in hardwood floors, even in kitchens. This is part of a trend of returning to hard surfaces.In addition to wood, he said, ceramic is being used more.
Tastes in carpeting are changing, too, Pendleton said. Light solid colors seem to be on the upswing, she said, but there is still a lot of interest in the more traditional bright colors and in various designs.
"We have a style for every taste," she said, pointing to the hundreds of carpet and ceramic samples in the company's showroom.
Chumbley said he is confident the price offered by Deluxe will be a better bargain than those advertised by big discount companies that offer up to 70 percent off, no matter what type floor a customer chooses.
In many cases, he said, the low prices promoted by the big discounters are for the covering only, and there are additional charges for installation.
That is not the case with Deluxe, he said. Chumbley's company quotes a price for the whole job.
The company employs 12 people. Their ages range from 25 to 47, Pendleton said, and the average length of time with the company is about seven years.
"We have very little turnover," she said.
Deluxe Floors
344-3887
LENGTH: Medium: 61 linesby CNB