Hesters Abbey Floorcoverings installers attend training session

Hesters Abbey Floorcoverings announced that Tom Partin and Dennis Kozlowski recently returned from Karastan carpet installation training in Tampa. The training, which was open to all floor covering installers in Florida, was conducted by Karastans master trainer Jim Walker. The two-day training required Partin and Kozlowski to commit time and money toward their professional education. While each of them has significant past experience, with a combined 40 years between them, they are now Karastan certified. That distinction, from the top carpet producer in America, separates them from others since they were the only carpet installers from NE Florida to attend.

Florida Humanities Council awards $15,000 grant to Florida Living History Inc.

Florida Living History Inc. has been awarded a grant of $15,000 by the Florida Humanities Council, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The grant funding is to be used for the planning and implementation of large-scale humanities projects for the grant-award period of March 1, 2012 to Aug. 31, 2013. Aside from the living history events and lectures that is already committed to for this grant period, the funding will be used for production of a free, interactive, educational e-booklet on early colonial Florida for the states schoolchildren, ages 8 to 10, which will support the State of Floridas social studies standards for grade 4.

Florida Living History Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, educational organization. Contact info@floridalivinghistory.org or 1-877-FLA-HIST.

Mattamy Homes acquires home sites at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra Beach

Mattamy Homes U.S. Group acquired 100 new home sites at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra Beach. Steve Parker, president of Mattamy Homes U.S. Group, said new three, four and five-bedroom homes at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee will range in size from 1,900 square feet of living space to 2,700 square feet priced from the low $200s. Parker said Mattamy Homes is about to start construction of two model homes at Kelly Pointe at Nocatee that will open in August.

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Business Briefs: May 13, 2012

For those who prefer the plush pile of carpet beneath their feet, new materials and innovative adhesive provide modern options.

A matter of material: Nylon is the most durable of all carpet fibers, according to Valerie Ottaviano, vice president of product design at Bentley Prince Street, Inc., a California-based carpet and rug company.

When it comes to purely natural materials like straw, sisal and wool, she urges consumers to think twice.

They look great but can be tough to clean, Ottaviano says. Sisal rugs dont react well to water or cleaners, for example. Something made with a solution dye may not be natural, but it can give you better performance, depending on your household.

Green is growing: Like all home industries, carpet makers are looking into sustainable options. Post-consumer nylon can be weaved back into new fibers.

We can actually strip previously used carpet, shave off the top and put that back into a new fiber while still creating premium-quality carpet, Ottaviano says.

Theres now carpet available that is made from yarn composed of used fishing nets. The production process is fed by different streams of post-consumer carpets, used fabrics and fishing nets together with industrial discards from all over the world. This is really innovative, eco-friendly fiber and it looks gorgeous, Ottaviano says.

Mix and match: Modular carpet tiles make it easier for those who dont want to make a big, permanent decision about a large area. FLOR, a leading carpet tile company based in Chicago, has gained a lot of momentum in the past few years for its ease of installation, maintenance and durability.

These carpet tiles can be arranged according to each persons preference for area rugs, runners or play areas.

This DIY solution may have a higher up-front cost, but the tiles are removable, washable and can be moved from home to home, which can make it a more cost-effective option.

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The case for carpet

CRESCENT CITY -- The floor of the visitor center at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park received a much-needed makeover on Wednesday, courtesy of Home Depot. The company donated both the flooring materials and the installation labor.

The new plank flooring is a dramatic improvement toward modernizing the old visitor center as a cheerful and welcoming space while retaining its rustic character.

The partnership between Home Depot, Redwood National and State Parks, and Redwood Parks Association, the nonprofit organization that benefits the parks, began last fall. Employees tackling a massive end-of-season cleaning of the visitor center discovered a section of the badly worn and molding carpet was beyond repair and needed to be replaced.

Unfortunately, both funding and labor were in short supply. When Home Depot learned about the problem, it donated the flooring for the section. Brad Maggetti, a park volunteer, donated his time to remove the old carpet and install the new materials.

However, when Home Depot store managers Alex Campbell and Michael Ekkart visited the center after the first installation, they were concerned to discover a large portion of the center's floors remained old and decayed.

They immediately offered to donate both the flooring materials and labor to renovate the entire visitor center. Store employees also volunteered their time to help clean the center's outside decks, gutters and campfire amphitheater.

We

Volunteering with local community projects is an important value for our company, and we love helping the parks. They're part of what makes the Northern California coast such a special place.

The Crescent City Safeway also supported the project by donating fresh deli sandwiches to feed the hard-working volunteers.

Debi White, the North District manager for Redwood Parks Association, said she is extremely grateful for Home Depot's and Safeway's generosity and partnership.

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New floor for Jed Smith

Warren Buffett has famously boasted that he invests mostly in boring industries like paint and carpet. Hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is apparently a roller-coaster thrill ride. Investors who bought Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL) last fall are sitting on a double right now, while those who bought just a couple of months prior are only just now breaking even. After a botched software installation and an industrywide International Trade Commission investigation, is business finally getting back to normal at the company?

What went wrongI can't say Lumber Liquidators has the best operations out there. Same-store sales growth over the last five years has only averaged about 2.4%. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a few retailers that beat that easily. But in the context of its industry, it's really quite impressive. Average growth rates at competitors such as Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) have been -3.5% and -3.1%, respectively.

Unfortunately, business at Lumber Liquidators got knocked off track a few quarters ago when the company installed software from SAP intended to streamline operations and order fulfillment. Instead, complications arose, and orders began piling up as stores struggled to adapt to the new system. While things have mostly been sorted out, the latest 10-K notes that the implementation is not completely finished, and there are still several minor phases that may cause similar complications.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission launched an investigation into whether Chinese hardwood flooring manufacturers were receiving unfair state subsidies, allowing them to charge much lower rates than manufacturers in the U.S. In a preliminary ruling, the Department of Commerce announced it may impose duties on Chinese imports of up to 242.2%, prompting many in the industry to worry about retailers who rely on bargain prices.

However, in October of last year, the Department of Commerce issued its final ruling, imposing countervailing duties of up to 26.73% and antidumping duties of up to 58.84%. Lumber Liquidators subsequently announced that only about 10% of its products would be affected, and the duties on those products would only be about 1.5% and 3.3%, respectively. The company had dodged the bullet.

Flash-forward to todayLumber Liquidators still hasn't fully recovered from the SAP debacle. Days inventory outstanding, a measure of how quickly a company is able to sell its inventory, jumped from 114 days to 144 days in the quarter following the SAP install -- a huge slowdown in business. Lumber Liquidators was forced to offer more favorable payment terms to customers annoyed at the long processing times. It took a few quarters to get everything sorted out and running smoothly again, so DIO has only fallen to a low of 132, but it appears to be trending down.

Similarly, operating margin was cut in half after the SAP install, but it has been steadily climbing back up and is almost back to pre-crisis levels. Assuming the kinks have really been worked out and the new software will start working in Lumber Liquidators' favor, operations efficiency should continue to increase, but given the problems the company has had so far, that's not a completely safe assumption.

Interestingly, sales never really took a hit. As mentioned, competing retailers such as Lowe's and Home Depot have struggled to keep sales afloat, and hardwood flooring manufacturer Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) has actually seen sales decline by nearly 20% over the last four years, while Lumber Liquidators has grown sales by 65%.

The Foolish bottom lineLumber Liquidators has recovered nicely from its fall. It isn't a particularly cheap stock now, but I believe it will continue to recover and become more attractive. Despite the company's missteps, I stand by the assertion I made a year ago that Lumber Liquidators is one of the best ways to play the trend of home renovation as homeowners try to spruce up their abodes for either potential buyers or a simple change in scenery.

AddLumberLiquidatorsto My Watchlist to stay updated with the company's recovery. Lumber Liquidators isn't the only retailer managing to grow sales, either. Check out The Motley Fool'sfree reporton two companies changing the face of retail. Enjoy and fool on!

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This Company Is on a Solid Path to Recovery

-All Dates- Today Tomorrow This Weekend This Week -------------------- Saturday, April 28 Sunday, April 29 Monday, April 30 Tuesday, May 1 Wednesday, May 2 Thursday, May 3 Friday, May 4 Saturday, May 5 Sunday, May 6 Monday, May 7 Tuesday, May 8 Wednesday, May 9 Thursday, May 10 Friday, May 11 Saturday, May 12 Sunday, May 13 Monday, May 14 Tuesday, May 15 Wednesday, May 16 Thursday, May 17 Friday, May 18 Saturday, May 19 Sunday, May 20 Monday, May 21 Tuesday, May 22 Wednesday, May 23 Thursday, May 24 Friday, May 25 Saturday, May 26 Sunday, May 27 Monday, May 28 -All Event Categories- ARTS AGENDA Classical Music Comedy Film Museums Readings & Signings Spoken Word Theater/Dance/Performance Art Visual Arts COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Benefits & Fundraisers Clubs & Organizations Family Festivals/Events Gay & Lesbian Health & Fitness Holiday Lectures & Seminars Nightlife Sex & Love Singles Sports & Recreation Support Groups Volunteers/Public Life FOOD & DRINK Culinary Wine/Cocktails MUSIC EVENTS Acoustic Americana Bluegrass Blues Classical Concert Country Covers Dancing DJ/Electronica Ethnic/World Experimental Folk General Hip-Hop Jazz Karaoke Metal Open Jam/Drum Circle Open Mic Party Pop R&B/Soul Record Release Rock Spiritual Variety -All Dates- Today Tomorrow This Weekend This Week -------------------- Saturday, April 28 Sunday, April 29 Monday, April 30 Tuesday, May 1 Wednesday, May 2 Thursday, May 3 Friday, May 4 Saturday, May 5 Sunday, May 6 Monday, May 7 Tuesday, May 8 Wednesday, May 9 Thursday, May 10 Friday, May 11 Saturday, May 12 Sunday, May 13 Monday, May 14 Tuesday, May 15 Wednesday, May 16 Thursday, May 17 Friday, May 18 Saturday, May 19 Sunday, May 20 Monday, May 21 Tuesday, May 22 Wednesday, May 23 Thursday, May 24 Friday, May 25 Saturday, May 26 Sunday, May 27 Monday, May 28 -All Neighborhoods- General Charlotte Area NORTH CHARLOTTE Concord/Kannapolis Dilworth Lake Norman Midtown North Charlotte/University Uptown EAST SIDE East Charlotte Elizabeth NoDa Plaza-Midwood SOUTH CHARLOTTE Ballantyne Matthews/Southeast Charlotte Myers Park Pineville/Hwy 51 South Charlotte South End SouthPark/Cotswold WEST CHARLOTTE Gastonia Westside SOUTH CAROLINA Fort Mill Rock Hill

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'Not your father's Park Lanes': Charlotte landmark transforms into 'entertainment destination'

BOCA RATON, Fla., April 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Q.E.P. CO., INC. (QEPC.PK) (the "Company") announced today that it will report its financial results for its fiscal year 2012 ended February 29, 2012 on Monday, May 7, 2012.

The Company also announced that it will be hosting a conference call to discuss these results and to answer your questions at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. If you would like to join the conference call, dial 1-888-846-5003 toll free from the US or 1-480-629-9856 internationally approximately 10 minutes prior to the start time and ask for the Q.E.P. Co., Inc. Fiscal Year 2012 Conference Call / Conference ID 4535314. A replay of the conference call will be available until midnight May 15th by calling 1-877-870-5176 toll free from the US and entering pin number 4535314; internationally, please call 1-858-384-5517 using the same pin number.

Q.E.P. Co., Inc., founded in 1979, is a leading worldwide manufacturer, marketer and distributor of a comprehensive line of hardwood flooring, flooring installation tools, adhesives and flooring related products targeted for the professional installer as well as the do-it-yourselfer. Under brand names including QEP(R), ROBERTS(R), Capitol(R), Harris(R)Wood, Vitrex(R), PRCI(R), BRUTUS(R), Porta-Nailer(R) and Elastiment(R), the Company markets over 3,000 flooring and flooring related products. In addition to a complete hardwood flooring line, Q.E.P. products are used primarily for surface preparation and installation of wood, laminate, ceramic tile, carpet and vinyl flooring. The Company sells its products to home improvement retail centers and specialty distribution outlets in 50 states and throughout the world.

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Q.E.P. Co., Inc. Hosts Conference Call to Discuss Fiscal Year 2012 Earnings

ROCKFORD The roof of the Nicholas Conservatory will go from gray to green this summer.

The Rockford Park District will cover the flat concrete roof with a living carpet, complete with blooming flowers and plants. The green roof is meant to be a more environmentally friendly canopy that can reduce energy costs, extend the life of the roof, manage stormwater, and provide habitat for birds and insects.

Hundreds of trays with a variety of plants in 4 to 6 inches of soil will be installed atop the conservatory roof from July 2 to 13.

Theyre compact and theyre very heat- and drought-tolerant. Theyre also very colorful year-round, said Dan Erwin, the Park Districts manager of parks and horticulture. There will be vegetation, plant color and interest regardless of what season it is.

A 240-square-foot patio, which can accommodate 25 people, will overlook the roof.

The green roof protects roofing materials from ultraviolet light, cold extremes and heat extremes as well, which can add 20 years to the life of a conventional roof, Erwin said. The natural beauty of the greenhouse will be a definite plus for us, with our patrons being able to view the roof from the second-story observation deck inside the conservatory.

A green roof also helps reduce the heat island effect, because it doesnt absorb heat and release it back into the atmosphere, said Laura Pigatti Williamson, Park District deputy director of capital planning and asset management. It also stores rainwater for the plants on top of the roof rather than flushing it through a downspout, and filters the water before it drains into the Rock River.

District officials say the green roof can reduce heating and cooling costs for the portion of the building it covers by up to 20 percent to 30 percent. The district budgeted about $32,000 for annual utility costs at the conservatory, which is just $1,000 more than the much smaller greenhouse that used to occupy the property.

The Park District hired Christiansen Inc., the roofing company owned by Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen, to handle construction and installation. Commissioners approved the $108,227 contract last week.

The company won the project in open bidding; 56 vendors were notified. Christiansen Inc. bid about $36,500 lower than the next lowest bidder.

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Green roof will top it all off at Nicholas Conservatory in Rockford

A day after a public hearing to discuss possibly closing three schools, the Williamsport Area School Board unanimously approved the decision to receive appraisals of the buildings.

On Tuesday, the board decided to pay Reeser Appraisals LLC $5,800 for finding the market value of Round Hills, Sheridan and Stevens elementary schools.

Board member David Stone Jr. asked if it was the appropriate time to receive appraisals, as the district won't be looking to sell any of the buildings for at least a year. The decision on any school closures would not take effect until the 2013-14 school year.

Some board members said the information provided by the appraisal would allow them to better make an informed decision on which schools to close and a year would not make that big of a difference in value.

"I'd rather have the information sooner rather than later," said Brette Confair, board member.

School director Dale Vollman agreed with Confair and said the board would like to have all of the information before making a decision.

The board also decided to table a vote that would have approved the installation of carpet tiles in both Round Hills and Stevens elementary schools.

Board member Jane Penman said a decision should be made on what schools will be closed before they decide to make improvements to the buildings. Director Karen Harris agreed, saying she'd rather not put any more money into the buildings before a decision is made on closures.

Jeffrey Richards, business manager, said the installation was suggested because of safety issues. He said the new carpet tiles would be glued to the floor and would be able to be reused in another district building if a school was closed.

Vollman said although it would be able to be reused, part of the cost is installation, something the district couldn't recoup if it removed the tiles and put them in another building.

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Elementary schools to be appraised

High gas prices this summer will cause many families to travel less in order to save money. If youre staying close to home, summertime is a great time to re-floor with Tuftwick Carpet!

Check out all of the deals they have going on right now in their showroom at 4602 34th St. There youll find their usual wide selection of flooring, plus new wood, ceramic and carpet samples that have just arrived!

If what youre looking for is not in stock, Tuftwick will gladly order it for you.

Looking for something small? Tuftwicks entire inventory of remnants is on sale! Add warmth and color to a dorm room or apartment with a stylish remnant or use a remnant as an area rug on hardwood floors. Remnants start at just $5 per yard!

If you have rental property, you can freshen up the interior with affordable flooring before new tenants move in. Consider new carpet for the living area and vinyl for the kitchen or bathroom. Also available for the kitchen or bathroom is a new line of backsplash tile.

With more than a half a century of experience, Tuftwick Carpet can help you make the right choice for your flooring needs. Recently, theyve added a new salesperson to their staff. Jeff Cumby has more than 15 years of industry experience, and would love to talk to you about any of todays popular flooring options:

Tip shear Berbers featuring DuPont Stainmaster

Tone-on-tones

Track-resistant plushes

Textured Berbers

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If high gas prices keep you home this summer, re-floor with Tuftwick

MILAN, April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --As the prestigious Milan Design Week opens, Interface, Inc. (NASDAQ: IFSIA - News) has announced the launch of a new evolved global brand and an edgy, innovative new collection. Both underscore the carpet tile manufacturer's design and sustainability leadership. Interface is the only carpet company present at the exclusive and leading design venue La Triennale di Milano.

In conjunction with the brand launch, Interface has also announced a commitment to the global Green Apple Day of Service, where the company will encourage its employees, customers and suppliers to volunteer towards school sustainability projects in the communities where it operates around the world. As one of the first companies to join the effort, Interface is highlighting its strong culture of purpose-driven design.

The brand's progressive new look reflects the company's growing global presence and future ambition. By referring to the brand simply as Interface, the name under which the company was founded, rather than InterfaceFLOR, the company is honoring the legacy and vision of the late Ray Anderson, the company's founder and sustainability pioneer. The new look, which will be unveiled at Milan, is a modern take on the company's historical design.

"The Interface brand embodies our commitment to delivering products and experiences that exemplify design with purpose. By this, we mean products that combine beauty, innovation, function and sustainability that inspire our customers to realize their own design visions, from a company that feels a sense of responsibility beyond the products that we sell," said Maria Davlantes, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Interface, Inc. "The new brand is a reinforcement of who we are as a company."

The new Interface global brand debuts along with an innovative new design collection and installation hosted at La Triennale di Milano during Milan Design Week, from April 17 to 22, 2012. The new Metropolis collection contains striking products developed with sustainability in mind and inspired by the themes that should resonate with all designers: ideological rebirth, based on 2012 global and cultural trends reflecting the end and regeneration of cities and cultures.

"As we embark on the new brand that energizes our purpose, the Metropolis collection reflects our hopeful vision of a new and more sustainable future, where people live in harmony with eco-systems, without depleting the raw materials our planet offers. The new collection is Interface at its edgiest and most striking, with atmospheric designs reflecting the mood and mystery of a brave new world. The products are everything customers have come to expect from us eye catching and innovative yet functional. We hope they will inspire the most dramatic and evocative interiors," remarked Nigel Stansfield, vice president and chief innovations officer of Interface, Inc.

According to Interface's commitment to sustainability, one-third of the Metropolis collection contains 100-percent recycled yarn made from industrial waste sources, such as used fishing nets and yarn from used carpet tiles, recycled through Interface's Re-Entry 2.0 take-back program. Many of the products have the additional environmental benefits of Interface's carbon offset program, as standard, and a non-directional design for less waste and faster installation.

In further celebration of Interface's brand and its commitment to the Green Apple Day of Service, the company will identify schools and school districts globally for service projects that can have a meaningful impact on the environments in which children and young adults learn. Interface's support is an example of how the company lives out its sustainability mission and values. In 2011, Interface, Inc. employees volunteered more than 10,000 hours in communities.

"At Interface, design drives and defines everything we do. For us, design should be thoughtful and meaningfulit's what we are and how we operate as a company," said Davlantes. "Now and through the rest of the year, we are commemorating the Interface brand both inside and outside the organization through a celebration of what the company stands for and aspires to deliver."

A commemorative book entitled "Design with Purpose," has been developed to help celebrate Interface's brand heritage, meaning and aspirations with customers.

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At Milan Design Week, Carpet Tile Manufacturer Interface Celebrates New Global Look, A New Collection Plus ...