W

hile some might give the floor under their 

feet little consideration aside from the 

fact that it serves a functional purpose 

in their homes, flooring plays a key role 

in creating the look and feel of a space, of bringing it 

to life and grounding it. Like the bow on a package, 

flooring wraps everything up and makes an interior 

design complete—and no one understands that more 

than flooring experts like three generations of the Sluder 

family who have kept Gene’s Floor Covering running 

strong since 1965.

Originally founded by former Naval officer Gene 

Sluder, Gene’s Floor Covering has since passed into 

the hands of his sons Gary and Alan, with Gary’s sons 

Kevin and Kyle serving as partial owners in the business 

as they are groomed to take over operations when their 

father retires. The secret to their three generations 

of success is simple—knowledge of their product, 

knowledge of the trends, and a keen understanding of 

what their clients want and need for their particular 

projects. And much like the longevity of their company 

name, the longevity of their employees contributes in a 

big way to bringing customers in their door, year after 

year, for flooring project after flooring project, even in 

the face of their rising pool of competition. 

No cut-rate service is given, as their installers show 

a level of passion and care that sets the company 

standard; and Gene’s many 40-plus-year employees 

take the time to talk and walk with their clients’, 

showing them options for each space that suit their 

design style, their lifestyle needs, and their budget. And 

while the age of the company could in so many ways 

make Gene’s anachronistic, the Sluder men have kept it 

on the cutting edge, expanding their offerings to include 

the latest flooring options and materials on the market 

so that no ground is left unexplored. “There are so 

many more products that have become available in the 

last few years, and more homeowners are selecting hard 

surfaces as an alternative to carpeting,” says Kevin. “As 

a result of that trend, the varieties have really become 

endless, from eco-friendly materials and waterproof 

products to porcelain and ceramic tiles that mimic the 

look of hardwood and marble.” For those who still love 

the softness of carpet under their feet, Gene’s stocks 

hypoallergenic carpeting to keep their clients breathing 

easy.

Working with clients on installations for home 

renovations as well as in newly built homes, Gene’s also 

takes on flooring projects for large-scale commercial 

clients, keeping their two showrooms in Pensacola and 

Gulf Breeze stocked with every type of material from 

hardwoods and vinyl to stone tiles and carpeting. For 

the DIY set, the team at Gene’s offers materials and 

advice on how to tackle a project with your own two 

hands—and despite the fact that they might not always 

be handling the install themselves, they never short-

serve on the level of personal attention they provide. 

“We all love what we do here and love working with 

our clients,” says Kevin. And that love keeps the floor 

under their feet solidly laid so that they walk on in 

success.

Gene’s Floor Covering is located at 4021 Navy Blvd., 

Pensacola, Florida 32507 and 2749 Gulf Breeze Pkwy., Gulf 

Breeze, Florida 32563. Open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 

p.m. To learn more, call their Pensacola location at          

(850) 456-3360 or Gulf Breeze at (850) 934-3438 or visit 

www.genesflooring.com.

 story by

 Liesel Schmidt

  |  

photo by

 

Kristina Wright

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