VIRGINIA— A seemingly off-handed comment turned into a life-changing decision for the new owners and operators of the Floor to Ceiling Store in Virginia.
Sadie Klegstad had been helping her brother Justin Dukek with the financial and marketing side of his fledgling business, North Star Flooring, in Fargo, when Justin suggested he’d like to grow his business beyond the installation side. “He mentioned that he’d really like a brick-and-mortar flooring store one day,” recalls Sadie.
The suggestion percolated in her mind and she soon started exploring real estate listings online. When, last summer, she found the listing for Floor to Ceiling’s Virginia store, it seemed like a good fit.
“I asked him how serious he was,” said Sadie.
Serious enough, it turns out.
Sadie, her husband Dylan Klegstad, and Justin, officially took ownership of the store on Jan. 31 after months of working out the details with the Small Business Administration and longtime owners Jim Norlander, Joe Ahlin, and Anton Udovich.
Sadie and Dylan are quickly learning the basics of the business, all while negotiating the challenges of child care and commuting from their home in Bemidji while they shop for a new home on the Iron Range.
“It’s a lot to learn,” said Dylan, who was manning the store on a recent morning. “But we’re quick learners.” Dylan and Sadie are also tech savvy, and they have plenty of ideas on how to boost their business’s profile on social media, while also retaining their traditional presence in print and on radio.
They’re also currently researching new products and new vendors. For example, while Floor to Ceiling’s Virginia store has long dabbled in sauna and sauna supplies, Sadie said they’re looking at showcasing a barrel sauna manufactured in Grand Rapids, which they display outside the store.
As is typical of many couples, Dylan and Sadie have taken on different parts of the business, while collaborating in other areas.
Dylan, who managed sales across a huge territory for manufacturers like Husqvarna and Yamaha, is working with a large number of vendors whose products are retailed at Floor to Ceiling. He’s also learning the ropes of working outside the store, handling site visits to customers’ homes, taking measurements, taking orders and offering ideas.
Sadie, who was a dental technician while helping her brother on the side, works the store side with customers. “My experience has always been with the customer side,” said Sadie.
“Like with the dental field, it’s about getting to know people and building those connections,” she said. “Some of the projects, they might come in for a new kitchen and it later becomes a bathroom renovation. You really get to know your customers pretty well going through that process.”
They’ve had a bit of a backstop on their learning curve. The prior owners all agreed to help out during a transition and Joe Ahlin plans to stay on longer term while Jim and Anton are looking forward to retirement.
It’s the kind of transition that can pose a real challenge for many small businesses, but as an established franchise, new owners can depend on the support of a larger corporate entity. Burnsville-based Floor to Ceiling now has stores in 22 U.S. states and bills itself as one of the fastest-growing organizations in the home décor industry, with product lines including kitchens, baths, lighting, floor coverings, and window treatments. The Floor to Ceiling Store in Virginia is located just off Hwy. 169, at 8401 Enterprise Drive. Stop in soon and say hi to the store’s new owners.