LIHU’E — After opening up flooring businesses on the Big Island when that island and the state’s economy were hitting bottom, and finding success, the owners of Warehouse Direct Flooring & Imports Carpet Liquidation Center are confident their Kaua’i venture
LIHU’E — After opening up flooring businesses on the Big Island when that
island and the state’s economy were hitting bottom, and finding success, the
owners of Warehouse Direct Flooring & Imports Carpet Liquidation Center are
confident their Kaua’i venture will flourish as well.
Fred Donnert, who
with partner Frank Giubardo recently opened Warehouse Direct in the Lihu’e
Industrial Park Phase II (next to Alu Like on Peleke Street), said while some
days have been slow, there have been days of brisk sales as well.
And the
new business’ grand opening is still 13 days away. Donnert said he hears and
sees this island economy making a comeback, something that Warehouse Direct’s
sales on certain days bears out.
Warehouse Direct specializes in flooring
imports, and expects containers of Italian marble tile and more carpeting to
arrive before the Saturday, Sept. 16 grand opening celebration.
The concept
for the Kaua’i store, according to Didi Mikami, office manager, is to have such
a huge in-stock selection in the 11,000-square-foot warehouse that people will
be able to leave with what they want, whether it’s wood flooring, tile,
carpeting, tools, or other items.
That will essentially remove the hassle
of having to special-order items, because everything will be in stock, she
said.
The owners have over 40 years of installation and sales experience
between, and one of them will always be on Kaua’i to supervise this operation.
Ray DeLima is the store manager, and Joe Davis handles the warehouse
chores.
The grand opening will feature giveaways of televisions, carpet and
flooring installation tools, rugs and more. The grand prize is a house full of
carpeting, padding and tile, worth up to $5,000.
KQNG radio will do a live
broadcast from the new business.
The Lihu’e Warehouse Direct location is
the fourth for the partners, who have two locations in Kona, and one in Hilo,
on the Big Island. There are no current plans to venture into Maui or
O’ahu.
Where carpet is concerned, some of the brand names include Mohawk,
Midway and Shaw. Daltile, Laticrete and other tile brands are in stock, as well
as Southland installation tools.
Value Plank hardwood flooring, by Mohawk,
is in stock and on the showroom floor as well.
Slate, ceramic tile,
laminate flooring, sheet vinyl, vinyl tile, area rugs and more are
offered
Specializing in customer service, Warehouse Direct will send
workers into homes to measure floor areas, come up with a price per square
yard, and even steer people to installation professionals if that is their
wish, Mikami said.
The professionals at Warehouse Direct also offer up free
advice for do-it-yourselfers, including offering do-it-yourself kits.
The
partners pride themselves not only in offering quality flooring products at
“warehouse-direct” prices, but stress warm and friendly customer service at the
same time.
Blinds, vertical blinds, mini blinds, bamboo furniture and other
furniture, bamboo flooring and more are offered at the Big Island locations,
and may be brought here if there is a demand shown.
Store hours are 7:30
a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday. The
business is closed Sunday. Call 241-1422, or fax 241-1423, for more
information.
The store will be closed Labor Day, tomorrow, Monday, Sept.
4.
