By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews
WALDPORT — Have you ever wandered the canyons of a big box home improvement store in quest of help or advice? And come up empty on both counts? If so, you may appreciate the two words that underpin a new flooring, tile and cabinet business in Waldport — “family” and “local.”
Those words are the hallmarks of Oceanside Flooring and More, run by the husband-wife team of Leona and Mitch Rose. And they go a long way toward explaining the popularity of the shop, which occupies the former home of Carpet Tech on Bay Street, behind the Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue station.
Considered one of the top flooring installers in the area, Mitch Rose has been in the business since his high school days. Starting in 2014 out of a garage in Seal Rock, the couple focused mostly on custom tile installations.
“We were always out working, always on the road, chasing down product, Mitch on his hands and knees installing,” says Leona Rose. Even with six employees, the time away from their kids and Mitch’s father, 85, took a toll. So when the 2,400-square-foot Carpet Tech building came up for sale last year, they bought it.
Now working the retail side of things, the couple runs Oceanside Flooring with a continued emphasis on tile — plus hardwood and vinyl plank flooring, cabinets, countertops, window coverings and carpet. Their comfortable showroom, adorned with work by local artists, is now home base for 18 employees, including Mitch’s dad.
“We’re family-owned. We want to keep people shopping local, and out of the box stores,” says Leona Rose. “The best part is, if you’re a do-it-yourselfer and run out of something, like glue, or a transition piece, we can have it to you within 24 hours, instead of having to drive to the valley because you need one more box of tile.”
What’s the biggest mistake people make when buying flooring?
Not being realistic about the product they think they want. For example, someone might be determined to have hardwood floors, but their place is a part-time residence and barely heated — not good for hardwood. Instead, consumers should simply ask, ‘What flooring would work best in this in-law apartment, or this part of the house that gets super-warm in summer?’ In our area, we’ve found that carpet often isn’t the best investment. We invite people to bring us a design, or an idea, or a picture from a magazine. We’ll make it fit the budget and fit the look they’re after.
Which home products are in the biggest demand?
Many people come to us because we’re known for tile, especially high-end and difficult tile installations. Also big in our area are custom showers with heated floors. They’re really popular for renovations and new builds and the heated floors cost just $100-$200 more if you’re already having the floor heated. Twice a year, we pay the wages for our entire staff to attend workshops by Schluter Systems to learn about the latest advances in waterproofing and making showers safe. Not only does this method help inhibit the growth of mold and mildew (because the heat offers a dryer environment), but if you use all of Schluter’s shower components and methods, they offer a lifetime warranty for labor and materials. That’s just unheard of.
What do you like best about being on the retail side of the business?
Of course, being close by for family is at the top of the list. But also, being in retail lets us serve the community in more ways. For example, when we bought Carpet Tech, we had about 30 rolls of carpet, and lots of related home improvement stock. We gave most of it away, and let some local community organizations have the rest at a big discount. We also do a lot of work with DEV Northwest, an Oregon nonprofit that helps low-income people with medical needs make their homes safer.
What do you most want people to know about your business?
Oceanside Flooring is a family business. We strive to provide top-notch construction and design services that best fit our customers’ needs and budget. And just as importantly, we treat our employees with respect and care — and that translates to better service and results for our customers.
What’s coming up for the business?
Two things. In the short-term, we’re having an open house from 1-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Everybody’s invited to enjoy live music, hot dogs, a local coffee truck and samples of sweet treats from JillyBeanz. The first 50 people will receive custom mugs, and we’ll also have an art gallery exhibit, and a raffle, with proceeds going to the Seashore Literacy Program.
Longer-term, we’re going to build a two-story addition to the shop, so we can stock even more product to give that quick turn-around that homeowners and contractors need.
Tell us a secret
The “and More” in our company name reaches beyond project design, products and installations — we handle entire homes, too. We have a division that partners with Oceanfront Properties to manage 10 rental properties. We currently employ nine people in this division.
- Oceanside Flooring and More, 225 N. Bay St., Waldport. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and Saturday by appointment. Phone: 541-563-4372; email: of@gmail.com. Website: https://www.oceansideflooringanddesign.com/