communityspotlight


Abbey Carpet and Floor


by Beth Davis I


n 1973, John Kopas opened Abbey Carpet and Floor in the Brighton Village Shopping Center, in New Brighton. His 2,500-square-foot showroom, with a separate warehouse,


served the community for 30 years until circumstances required a change of location. Kopas found a home for his franchise at a site that contained a vacant Perkins restaurant. Though the building wouldn’t suit the needs of the store, Kopas knew the land would. “I saw it as a chance to build a new future for the busi-


ness,” Kopas says. And that’s exactly what he did. A few years ago, the new store—featuring an 8,000-square-foot, two-story showroom with 5,000 square feet of warehouse space—opened in Mounds View. Though the sheer size is impressive, Kopas’ dedication to superior customer service has always been his focus in his 38 years in the carpet and flooring industry. His phi- losophy has always been: “You make it right for the customer.” That philosophy has paid off. The Mounds View Abbey Carpet is the only carpet store in the Twin Cities area to get a 100-percent customer-satisfaction rating from Consumers’ CHECKBOOK, a nonprofit website that rates local service firms and provides unbiased consumer ratings and information. The average rating in the area was 53 percent. Angie’s List, a well-known website that collects customer


satisfaction ratings on local service companies in more than 550 categories, bestowed Abbey with the coveted Super Ser- vice Award. The award is the highest honor given annually to companies by Angie’s List, and it goes only to those who have achieved and maintained a superior service rating on Angie’s List throughout the past year. Only about 5 percent of compa- nies meet the eligibility requirements and even fewer actually receive the award. Kopas is quite proud of the honor. “This isn’t anything we


could have applied for or pursued,” he says. “This all came from our customers.” The accolades don’t end there. Abbey has an A+ rating


from the Twin City Better Business Bureau, which means that the BBB has never received a complaint about the store. “If we


12 NA Twin Cities Edition natwincities.com


install a carpet and you don’t like it, we’ll take it out,” explains Kopas. “All you have to do is pay for the labor.” The installation has a lifetime guarantee. Experience and loyalty also set Abbey Carpet apart from other flooring stores. Staff members have more than 200 years of combined experience. In addition to Kopas’ long career, co- owner Tom Link has been in the industry more than 25 years. Two veteran designers, Kathy Bosse and Karleen Clemens, were hired by Kopas while they were in college more than 30 years ago, and they’ve been with the store ever since. Kopas says customers appreciate that they find both familiar faces and familiarity with their homes’ design chal- lenges when they come in looking for a style change. They also appreciate the vast selection. Where there were once only a handful of colors from which to choose, now hundreds of colors and styles are available for any home decoration project. The showroom features nearly 50 carpet brands, more than 20 wood-flooring brands and numerous choices in tile, ceramic and stone floors. Abbey also carries area rugs and window treat- ments. For those looking for environmentally friendly options, the store has flooring made from cork, flax and corn. All flooring is professionally installed to ensure beauty and longevity. Daylighting in the showroom enables customers to make true color selections, without the misleading effects of fluores- cent lighting. Experienced decorators are available during show- room hours to offer assistance in creating long-lasting appeal. There’s a misperception that the “big-box store” prices are


lower, Kopas says. “Abbey has just as much buying power of a Lowe’s or Home Depot, with more than 800 stores and 200 affiliates around the country,” he explains. “This 1,000-store buying power means we can beat their pricing, plus go beyond to offer deluxe service, a lifetime warranty on installation and excellent customer service.”


Abbey Carpet and Floor is located at 2222 Hwy. 10, Mounds View. For more information, call 763-398-3981 or visit MoundsView.AbbeyCarpet.com. See ad on page 30.


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