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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