Hello, this is The ProSource Podcast.
I'm Kevin Devine
Director of Digital
Marketing content
for ProSource Wholesale.
In this series
will focus on home remodeling,
especially kitchens and bathrooms.
You'll hear from those in the know,
including our corporate merchandizers
showroom team members
and the trade professionals
who ultimately make it happen.
We're glad you've joined us.
Enjoy
today's episode of The ProSource Podcast.
We are joined by Neal Ross.
Neal, appreciate you being here today.
Kevin Thank you for having me.
Well, let's start with an easy question.
why don’t you tell us who you are
and specifically what you do
for ProSource Wholesale. Sure.
My name is Neal Ross.
I'm the vice president of Product and
Merchandizing, and I lead our entire team
on the flooring side
and flooring that includes all carpet,
that includes
vinyl, tile that includes
ceramic, porcelain, includes
wood floors, includes
engineered wood floors.
Anything that you stand on
comes under my guidance.
Okay.
Well,
so in that realm,
how long have you been working
for ProSource Wholesale
and what got you into
the flooring industry?
So I like to tell people
I've been in the flooring
industry my entire life.
I've been walking on it, crawling on it.
But eighteen years ago
was when I got into the business,
and that is when I started
with ProSource.
I had zero flooring experience before
coming to ProSource.
I've been in specialty retail.
I've done sales
both on the retail side
and on the commercial side.
But man,
when I didn't have any experience
in flooring before walking into ProSource
really? Yeah.
Okay. Well, what makes flooring exciting?
What motivates you with that?
You know,
when I first started the business,
I kind of was like,
Wow, this seems like a
you know, it's a it's a it's
a part of the commercial business.
It's part of the contract business.
I really didn't know much about it,
but when I got here, I was like,
you know, the the, the, the pure,
you know, breadth of product
that's available in flooring
is what really drew me to it.
And then
and then really I was like,
you know,
but it's
man it’s a style business
every year
they're coming out with new products
technology.
The the the the
speed at that flooring changes
just every year
with new things that come out.
That's what makes it exciting.
It's just
every day you're seeing new products
come out from suppliers.
So in that sense,
what specifically have you seen evolve
in the realm of flooring
and maybe where you even see it going?
Well,
you know, when I started,
I like to joke that,
you know,
most of the business
that we were doing was carpet
and and I was in charge of carpet
and it was, you
know, was over half our business.
And I've managed it down to less
than a quarter of our business.
So I've done a really, you know, that.
But that just shows you
what the business has done
not what Neal has done personally.
But that's.
Not at all a reflection of you.
No, no reflection of what I do.
But it's just the way
the industry has changed over time.
The what's great is, you know,
we started out and, you know,
you know,
you got carpet
just about in every
in every house in the country.
And then slowly it's been changed out for
you know,
obviously
tile has been around for forever
but you see a lot more tile these days.
New product categories like luxury vinyl
has really taken off
over the past ten years or so
and out to the point
where it's the majority of our business.
It's the largest product category
that we're seeing being sold today.
So, Neal,
when it comes to flooring,
what would you consider to be
the ProSource advantage? Wow.
I think in a nutshell, it's value.
Yeah.
You know, ProSource,
you know,
has claimed value and screamed value
since its inception
30 years ago, you know.
But I think the
that value comes from, you know,
multi parts here. Right.
The first is
when a customer comes in,
you can see the value.
I mean, showrooms are not highly retail.
They're in a in an area where you've
you've got a little more industrial
and then you've got the racking systems
all that.
It just has a perceived value up there.
And the pricing
you're going to see is actual value.
Along with that,
you've got this huge selection of product
and that is an incredible amount of value
to a customer walking in.
They're going to walk in,
probably somewhat be overwhelmed.
The good news is that
they've got an account manager,
they've got an account manager
that will walk them
and guide them through the entire process
of selecting product.
I know you know, personally,
my wife
doesn't like to come into the
ProSource showroom
because people are like,
Oh, she knows products
kind of just like a tangently.
Because she knows me
and I'm like, she doesn't know anything.
She needs help
because it it's such a
wide selection of product and, and,
and I think that that is
a huge value to customers
because with ProSource, you know, if,
if you don't see it, we can get it.
If we can't get it,
it probably doesn't exist.
But account managers are
kind of the key to this, this
this selection process of of,
of narrowing down this ProSource
largest selection
down to the products
that they're going
to need for their project.
And so I think that that's a huge, huge
amount of the value is
is the account manager's
ability and knowledge and expertise
to help the customer
through this whole process.
In addition to that, you've got,
you know,
we've got
a whole set of kitchen about designers
that free design process
as well as added value
for this ProSource,
you know, kind of full value proposition.
So overall
I think ProSource just provides
great value
to the customer, to the trade pro,
and that's kind of where I hang my hat
and I don't think it's just flooring.
I mean,
I believe that's
just throughout the entire
showroom, the, the selection process
and the amount of selection
that's available
both in K and B of flooring,
I think is unmatched
anywhere in the industry
and anywhere in any market. So.
So what
what advancements have really been made
in the flooring industry and
what efforts have you seen
in that specific to the brands offer
to ProSource Wholesale?
So I think that, you know, you've
when you look at our mix
and how it's changed over
time, you know, you've got,
you know, technology
as just a
an overarching piece of flooring.
Let's just let's just start there.
Within every product category,
you see technology changes, right?
When I was
when I was first
when I first came on board,
carpet was a big part of our business.
And that's where people were looking for
technology changes.
They're like, in order for us
to keep all this carpet business,
how can we change?
How can we
how can we advance technologically?
So you were getting new patterns, right
new colors.
There's new color, things
that were happening.
They were printing carpet right there,
printing right on top of the carpet.
I think
some of the
the the work that they did in patterns,
it was like, you know, fully,
fully dimensional things were happening.
So you went
from just a flat piece of carpet
to having all this dimension in there.
And there was loops and cut piles
and all these different things
that are happening.
And, and finally people were like,
Yeah, that's great now,
but what else you got?
And so I think that
what you're seeing now
is huge advancements
in printing technology.
And printing technology
is one of those things.
What's happening now is, is
can be adapted
to almost every product
category, for example, luxury vinyl.
The the better the printing,
the more clarity you're going to see
in the graining of the products that
that you can find today.
Tile tile
is a great
example of digital printing
where they can make any look from a wood
look to a marble look
and have it look hyper realistic.
So the customer with one
type of product
can have multiple
looks throughout their house.
So I think printing is one of those
big things
that's really taking
a big part of the market
and where suppliers are really focusing
a lot of their R&D efforts. Okay.
So I know one and one technology
that it kind of amazes me and maybe
and I'm curious
if it amazes you as well,
is the waterproof technology.
But it's not just that it's out there,
but it has found a way to touch seemingly
every product category
and especially in the realm of carpet.
You would not think that
that would be true. But there it sits.
Yeah, absolutely.
Waterproof
is like the buzzword,
you know, and has been for like the past.
You know, obviously stain and soiling
were really important things
to identify in a product,
especially carpet was big
as we've moved on
in a hard surface category.
Waterproof.
Waterproof is, is everything
it it's something that it's a benefit
that the customer can easily,
you know
imagine in their mind
every time they've spilled
something, right.
They can be like, Oh yeah, I get it.
I don't want that to ruin my floor.
So you're going to see, you know,
like I was mentioning earlier,
about a decade ago,
you see luxury vinyl really coming out
and really becoming a
the the leading product out there.
And that was a product
that everybody could easily say, hey,
this is waterproof,
Don't even worry
about anything that you spill on it.
It can actually take standing water
and what suppliers saw.
They were like, Yeah,
all right, we can do that.
What if we did that
on other products like hardwood?
So now you're starting to see
that waterproof technology and hardwood
where it's got that
same wood veneer that you walk on.
So it's actually a wood product,
but the middle of it
is made out of the same core
that you're seeing in luxury vinyl.
So they're just taking a wood veneer
and pressing it on
top of a luxury vinyl core.
And because of that,
they're able to say like that
is waterproof,
that and the clip technology
that that it's installed with.
So now you've got this
this hardwood product
that a customer can be like
I've got real hardwood
and it's waterproof.
The trick is is the customer
hasn't really taken off yet on that
So they they've see it
they understand it,
but they're like, well, why wouldn't
I just buy a hardwood product
at that point?
So it's, it's, it's,
we feel like it's a growing piece.
We've done some collections with it.
I don't think the customers
have gotten it as much of they've
adapted to the luxury vinyl product.
We're watching it.
It's something we're watching constantly,
but the hardwood we feel
hasn't taken off yet,
but waterproof
products like luxury
vinyl have just soared.
And that is where
all of our account managers
have such
a successful time selling because
there's very few drawbacks
from selling a luxury vinyl product.
And that that piece
in the customer's
mind, you know, they see it, it's it's
waterproof, it's
it's somewhat dent proof,
but they're
they're adapting it
to just about every room in their house.
And I think that's the biggest piece
that.
What sort of efforts
in the flooring industry
have you seen with regard
to being eco friendly or sustainable?
The sustainability efforts
in the flooring industry,
in the products that they brought forth?
Well, I guess you could say that
both in
how the products are made
and then the products themselves.
Yeah, you know,
I think suppliers have kind of
had to lead this in,
in, in a lot of places where they're
producing products that are
environmentally friendly.
It's been going on for years, right?
We've got products
that are made
from let's start on the carpet side.
You've got products that are recycled.
So they've got product
that is made from recycled product.
They have products that are recyclable.
So you've got both synthetic fibers
there.
We've got carpet that is made
that is derived from corn.
We've got natural products such as wool
that is, you know, obviously
made from a sheep.
Where the sheep is
is still kept alive
as part of that process.
So environmentally sound.
Yeah.
So there is
there are a lot of products out there.
What we found
and obviously beyond that, you've got
luxury vinyl.
We've been talking a lot
about luxury vinyl.
It is most popular category right now,
but a lot of that's made
from recycled content.
The core of it,
a lot of
that is either
composite wood
and a plastic polymer
that they've all fuzed together
or recycled contents or a stone
composite polymer polymer
stone composite as well,
all from condensed product
that's been reused from somewhere else.
So there is a lot of that going on.
And then you've got products
like bamboo quick grow products, right?
Then you've also got we've got a company
also that's offering some hemp
product as well.
So these products that grow really fast
and can actually be reused,
utilize again.
Then you've got on the hardwood side,
you have a lot of suppliers
that will actually tag their products
because they're grown
in sustainable forest.
So there's there's
there is all of that going on right now.
But what we haven't seen,
the customer
is the customer that walks in
and really asks for that type of product.
Now they find the color,
they find the design,
they like the style,
and then if it also is environmental,
environmentally friendly,
they will absolutely
they feel better about the purchase.
But we don't have a lot of people
coming in just asking for it.
And I think that is where the
the consumer
and the supplier
have not seen eye to eye yet.
So becomes more of an afterthought.
Yeah, I think it's more what we've we've
we've called the pass as a tiebreaker.
So if a customer sees two products
that they like equally and one is a buyer
environmentally friendly
and one is not, they're like,
I'll go with that.
That makes me feel
better about my purchase. Okay, Yeah.
So if you were to give one bit of
bit of advice
to either a trade pro or homeowner
that's making a flooring decision,
what sort of considerations
would you suggest to them
they keep in mind
when making that selection?
Oh, sure.
You know,
I think the
one of the big ones is is don't skimp,
pay a little extra
and you're going to get a lot more.
You know,
I think in every single product category
that's true.
You've got certain, you know,
let's say in the wood category,
a upgrade a little
bit for a thicker product,
upgrade a little bit for a
a product with a better
finish on it
that will provide more protection
for your wood floor longer
for a longer period of time.
On the carpet side,
you know, a little bit
extra face weight,
you know
will make your product last
look will last longer
and feel better underfoot
luxury vinyl same thing
you can actually
you buy a thicker product
with a thicker veneer
so that if you do happen
to drop something on it
or you know you move your your
you move a refrigerator or something,
you're not going to gouge the product
so that it will last longer
and will look better longer.
So I think at the end
is just making sure that
you are not skimping
pay a little bit extra
and and just in your in
your flooring will last a lot longer.
So it's a little bit of
you get what you pay for.
100% and I think that's it's true
and I think that's
especially true in flooring.
So when we look at all
those advancements
that we've talked about here previously,
how should a trade
professional sort of balance their desire
or want to be trendy or fashionable
against what the homeowner's needs are or
preferences are or lifestyle
maybe dictates? Yeah,
I think there's
there doesn't
have to be a balance either,
you know, really because of number one,
the flooring industry has so much product
available to it that you
if you look, you're going to find it.
If you look hard enough,
you're going to find the style
they're looking for
and the performance you're looking for.
I don't think you have to skimp
because the way that suppliers
are really producing products today
is that they realize that
if it doesn't perform,
no matter how good it looks,
those customers are not going to keep
are not going to be coming back,
especially for ProSource that that's
that's very important
because our trade pros are repeat buyers
and they know and our and our account
managers know
that if they sell something
that doesn't perform,
that that trade pro
is going to remember that
and maybe not come back,
but at least say, I'm
not going to buy that product,
you know, in the future.
And so account managers
I think are great, a great barometers
for what sells out there
because they're not going
to sell a garbage product.
They're always going
to sell the best product
that looks the best for their customer.
So I think there's
you don't have to skimp.
And and I think what's great is not only
is that
that wide breadth of product
available in this industry
out there,
but ProSource is also
that place to find it.
Because you look in our showrooms,
we have such a huge variety of products
and showrooms
like bringing new products
in all the time.
And so you're
you're going to be able to find out
or find the product that you need
that that
that you want
and that it's going to perform
year over year.
Okay, good.
Let's shift
our focus
specifically in the realm
of kitchens and bathrooms.
And when you're looking
at a remodel in there,
it's sort of a chicken
and the egg sort of a question.
What tends to come first?
Does someone or should someone
pick flooring first
and sort of work
their way up from the ground up?
Or should flooring maybe be the
the last choice
after other products,
cabinets, countertops or tubs, vanities
when those are chosen,
is there a particular pecking order?
If you're doing it right,
I think you're doing it
all at the same time.
You're you're really
because you want to make sure
that all of the styles and the colors
that you're putting together
all makes sense.
So if you do, if you just,
you know, create your, your your
or you pick out your cabinet door
color, you create your or
you choose your backsplash,
you choose your countertops,
and all of a sudden you're like,
Oh, yeah, we've got to do the floors.
You’re still going to find something.
But I think that the selection process
is all done at the same time.
And what we found is
obviously the floors are always done
last as far as
the installation is concerned.
But what we're finding is, is that,
oh, I know this sounds crazy, but
construction projects
often go overbudget.
Wow. I know. I know. That's
shocking information
you're hearing here first.
But what happens is,
is that because of the
the availability of so many different
looks in
so many different
kind of substrates of of flooring,
you'll often
see customers
pick out a product that they like,
you know, like,
all right, well, this is the color.
And then all of a sudden they're like,
all right, we're over budget.
Where can we
where can we start to save a little bit?
And sometimes it's the floor
and they might have picked out a,
you know, a hardwood
that they want in their kitchen.
Happens all the time.
All of a sudden,
they're like that
hardwood was $5 a square foot.
We're running over on budget.
What else is there like?
Well, we've got a luxury vinyl
that might be, you know,
three and a half dollars.
And they may be able to find a similar
look in and a similar color in a
a manufactured product
like luxury vinyl or even laminate
that they can, you know, choose instead.
And really and it saves them a few dollars.
And, you know,
we don't always like to hear
that on the flooring side.
We always like the
the flooring budget to be high.
But it is
what happens
just because of the pecking order
of how things are actually installed.
So but is it
really that big of a drop off?
Most times
with performance in that regard?
On the performance side, no,
but some people will really like the
you know, people
like the feel
and the look of an authentic piece
of hardwood in comparison to vinyl.
That is why it's more expensive.
So so my next question is a little long,
so much
so that I'm actually going to read it.
So kind of relax
for awhile. Take a few. Yeah.
So when
you're choosing flooring,
it's never just the floor.
And what I mean by that
especially focus again
for kitchens and bathrooms.
There are other considerations
in a bathroom.
You might have a backsplash,
a tub, surround a shower,
shower walls that are, that are tiled,
it's flooring, It's
just not underfoot per se.
So what changes
have you seen with those products,
whether it be with trends
or just technology
advancements with them?
Well, that's the
coolest thing with with back splashes
decos things like that tile is
is changing by the day and you know it's
one thing is
is within actual tile products
but you've also got this mix and match
where you've got glass,
you've got metals, you've got actual wood
and all of those mixed
in with tile products as well.
And then of course stone and stone looks.
So you can have a view
of an entire variety of products
as a backsplash
to kind of bring out other colors
and other materials
that you might have in that room.
What's cool is
you've got some suppliers out there
that can totally customize
what products you want
and in which design
to do for your backsplash.
So you can go on onto their website,
choose which products you like,
choose the pattern
you like,
and then fill
in all of the different elements of it
and then have a customized version
created for your backsplash.
Now, obviously
there's a little bit
more expense to that,
but just from a general sense
that there's such a huge variety
of tile
available, especially for,
you know, these types of installations
that there's not
no one
showroom could show the the,
the spectrum that's available out there.
But what's great is
our showrooms are really good at is
is taking products and selecting them
that are
that are current
trending in their market.
So whatever process you go into,
they have
they've taken
what sells in their marketplace
and they're showing those exact products
because otherwise
you would have to have, you know, a
100,000 square foot showroom
with just showing back splashes
because there
so many different suppliers out there
and so many different looks in order
to kind of appeal to everybody.
So I just think there's it's variety.
It's just this huge, huge variety
that's available out there.
And that's
what's exciting is you can make any room
just with those little details
really pop.
And I just
it's just an exciting category. So.
So when you say that, I wonder,
is there a concern
that it might be a bit
overwhelming for people
with that much choice or does it become.
No, it's a good thing
because it allows everyone
to personalize to
what their
what their taste is,
what their desire is in that room.
The answer is yes.
It's both of it's both those things.
So, I mean,
your great news is
that we've got great account managers
and we've got great trade pros out there
that help in that selection process
that are able to say,
here, here's what we have,
here's what's available to you right now.
And, you know,
and if you don't like any of these,
we can get it.
That's the other piece
that's great about ProSource.
We can also source
so many different items
that we may not be able
to show in the showroom.
But there's there is
you know, there's a little bit of that
that the issue with a customer that,
you know,
if you show them too
many items, it's hard for them to decide.
But if you've narrowed down
some of the items into what they're into,
what they've already told you
through that kind
of qualification process,
they're going to be
it's going to be easier
for them to make that decision.
And trade pros help with that
process as well. Okay.
Let's pivot for just a second
to another particular area
that's near and dear to your heart.
You talked about all the flooring
that you oversee,
but there's something else
that you oversee
That's our sundries
and our installation supplies category.
So what we're talking about here is all
think grout and tools
and all the things that basically
allow the pros to install those products
and have them maintained afterwards.
So let's talk a little bit
about that piece of the puzzle
and how that incorporates
into the flooring selection process
as well as being that all encompassing
one stop shop.
Yes, there is.
Yeah.
So,
you know, a few years back
we went
big into the sundries
as far as an initiative on our side.
We have several showrooms
that are deep into it
that where the their sales
mix is upwards of 20
to 30% of their business.
What's what
it's that it's almost that
it's kind of the man behind the curtain,
all the things that have to get done
in order for your floor
to look as beautiful
as it is when it's installed.
That's what the customer doesn't see.
I mean, let's
I love carpet, always start with carpet,
but I mean, just the
those those things that happen
kind of behind the scenes
that you don't see that
make your product better.
Carpet, for example,
you've got a cushion underneath there.
The the the better
the cushion that you've you've provided,
the better it'll feel
and sometimes the better it'll look over
long term.
You know,
let's talk
more in the sundries and insulation
side for hard surfaces like tile.
You know
if you're doing wall
tile all the waterproofing that's done,
customer never sees any of that.
But they have that kind of,
you know, that sense of peace
that I'm not going
have to worry about this
every time I take a shower.
That is my is my shower leaking
and then,
you know,
all the other work
that goes in installation
the the floor leveling that
that the thin set
that happens down below
before any tiles install
any ceiling that's done
those those things that that happen are
what make it key to a long term
flooring installation being right
and I know that it's hard
for to
to explain that sometimes to a customer
because it's
it's it's not really a
a perceived value from
from what they can see
because it's all underneath the flooring
and it's just kind of a
it's your insurance policy
for anything that bad that can happen
has been taken care of by the installer.
Okay.
So what do you see
as some of the toughest challenges
for the flooring industry,
whether it be now
or even
a few years into
the future is what we're moving toward?
You know,
I think one of the big ones is managing
sales mix.
I mean, as I mentioned earlier,
you've got
we've had carpet go from,
you know, over
half our business down to, you know, 25%.
And then out of nowhere
in the last ten years,
luxury vinyl was luxury
vinyl wasn't even a category.
It was a new technology that happened
ten years ago.
It got introduced. Today,
it's our largest product category.
So it's managing that because
what happens is,
you know,
you've got suppliers
coming in and out of the marketplace.
You've got products coming in
out of the marketplace.
The showroom has to
has to update their showroom
continuously in order to make sure
that they're showing their customers
the newest products, the newest styles.
So it's that kind of continuous turnover.
Our showrooms
do it on a year by year basis
because of new styles
coming out all the time.
So new colors, new trends.
And then as new technology comes in,
there's a little bit more of an overhaul
that needs to happen.
I mean, if,
you know, before
luxury vinyl came into the marketplace,
laminate, laminate
was a, ah, manufactured
hard surface product.
And then suppliers
started making it
cheaper and cheaper and cheaper
by making it
thinner and thinner and thinner.
Eventually,
you can snap those boards over your knee
and you're like,
Is this a product I want on my floor?
But it was cheap, right?
And it was the it was
and then it
laminate got a bad name
and it was the death of the
of the product category.
And now
we're actually starting to see a,
you know,
kind of Phoenix from the ashes here
with laminate
and you're seeing the better products
being made the way that they used to be
and not thinner and thinner.
They're actually making them thick
and they're making the veneers better
and they're make
and they're hyper realistic.
So we're starting to see
this kind of renaissance
with laminate,
which is pretty exciting
because it's a great product category
that I think a lot of people
had a bad taste in their mouth over
how how terrible
it was being made for a while.
I do remember the popularity of it
and how it did
sort of disappear
and yeah, into the wasteland.
Adjusting that, you know,
adjusting your sales pitch,
you know, year over year
for account managers
have been around for a while.
It's like,
yeah, you know, it's like,
here's the new laminate and you're like,
wait a minute,
You told me you were badmouthing laminate
just a few years ago. Yeah, yeah.
But this is new.
And so those are the things that happen
and just change over time.
And, you know,
we didn't see luxury
vinyl happening at all,
and now it's a full product category.
What's happening?
What's going to happen in the future?
You know, we don't see any
we don't have anything in new in R&D.
That's a brand new product category.
But we're definitely seeing
improvements to all
of the product categories.
And I think,
you know, with
luxury, vinyl is one of those
is that, you know,
I think the hottest trend is the new new
bevel edge
bevel edge technology
that's coming out right now.
You've got a lot of natural
looking bevels that will help
really more of a compare it to hardwoods
that's out there.
So you're seeing that happen right now.
I think the last year
that that has been the hottest thing.
And I know Bevels
aren't that exciting,
but they are for for a customer
that wants that look
and and I think it makes it
that that sale to a customer
that might be
you know questioning
like do I really want you know
a plastic product in my home.
If it's that realistic, it's
hard for them to say no.
So those are some of the challenges
on the higher level
as far as the industry as a whole, it
what if you bring it down?
And what about the challenges
on a project level
when some of those
or even other challenges hit
on the project level
for an individual remodel,
what what
recommendations you have for addressing
those are what challenges
that you know exist?
Yeah, well, I think
bringing back the industry part of this
is that and because the customers
were impacted as well
over the last couple of years,
we've had, you know, a lot of
we had a lot of issues
with continuous price increases
due to labor increases,
freight increases.
Then we had,
you know, a
consider amount,
a considerable amount of the products
that purchase ourselves are imported.
And so you have a
we had an import problem
and so there was a hard
there was a time there
for the last couple of years
where it was difficult to get products
in, at least get a promised
date for customers
to have their product installed.
That was really, really
challenging for account managers
manage that, managing
that on a day by day basis.
So we're
we're definitely seeing less of that.
There's a lot more product
available on
on warehouse shelves right now.
So that's a good thing.
So customers aren't waiting as long
there's a lot more stability and pricing.
So you're not seeing this
huge price increases
or huge price decreases right now.
Right now
we're seeing a little bit of that
of some stabilization of pricing.
So I think that's good.
So I think those are the two biggest
challenges with a customer is making sure
that they can
pay for the product that they
that they were promised
and that that product will will come in
in the time that
that the account manager promised.
So getting hitting timelines,
making sure that those timelines
hit by the trade pro,
that is where we saw
the most challenges
over the last couple of years.
We're like I said, now
we're starting to see those
all kind of go away where
I feel like
we're kind of back to business as normal.
And so that's that's been a good change
within our
within our industry
and within process itself.
How much do you see what the trends
that are out there
and everybody talks about
publications streaming and networked TV
shows, publications,
a lot of talk about different trends.
How much of the of that aspect of it
do you feel impacts
the product selection itself,
or do you think.
You mean like the HGTVs
and the home improvement? Sure, yeah.
All that.
I wish Bob Vila would come back.
I wish he was as well
because feel
it was all about like this old house
and he was
he was all about either restoring or,
you know,
and he was also doing
a lot of historic homes.
And so
a lot of hardwood was being installed.
And we like hardwood.
I mean, it's it's
it's a great product category.
But in those a lot of those those home
improvement shows you see nowadays,
a lot of luxury vinyl going.
And I'm not going to talk about it,
but I do love the product category.
It's actually we've done
very well with it,
but I think we've done it as at a
at the
at a reduction
in our hardwood business
and and hardwood,
I think
is still one
of the greatest categories out there.
So I think there is some of that.
So people come in asking for
a certain type of product.
There's definitely some
trends that have been,
you know, jettisoned out
of, out of those,
you know, barn wood,
you know, the cottage type looks.
And I think I feel like there's
some of that
that that the home improvement
has has waned a little bit from a
from the customers
coming in
and asking for those types of things.
I don't feel like they're as popular as
they were,
but you've got so many new social media
avenues for people to really to
to touch base.
So you've got
I follow
several in
just pure installers
on social media sites
that are just doing cool installations.
And so
but they're not famous, you know,
it's like they're just like,
you know,
it's like Joe in Texas
and I'm following his installations
as opposed to, you know, the
the brand names
that have been out there on in the HGTV
and this home improvement
shows for so long.
I think people are starting to follow
a lot more regular
people like, you know,
following their process of,
you know, hey,
we bought a 1920s farmhouse
and you're going to watch us on Instagram
just update it.
So and these are
just run of the mill people.
I mean, they have some
may might have some remodeling back
background experience,
but they're not the,
you know, the branded,
you know, celebrities
from the HGTV days that we saw in the past.
So I don't
I feel like that's kind of the new trend
and that I'm watching that I'm seeing
and I'm excited about
because I think it's like regular people
kind of doing the work out there
and I like it.
Okay, Yeah.
Well, let's let's close it up with this.
Where do you see flooring going?
Maybe not just for the industry,
but for ProSource Wholesale.
What's what's next for us?
Oh, that's a great question.
You know, we've we've,
I feel that
the like looking
at our sales mix and kind of
and that's
kind of how we look at trends
and how things
that we start there. Carpet.
I feel like it's stabilized a little bit.
We're seeing huge increases in tile
and I think that that is mainly in part
because of that.
It's a complementary product
to our kitchen and bath business.
And as our kitchen and
bath business grows,
I think we're going to continue
to see tile grow along with it.
So I think that's a major, major
growth category for us,
even though it's a very mature category.
Luxury vinyl, I think will still
is still is seeing some growth there.
But we got into the category
so long ago
and so, so much earlier
than the rest of the industry
that we are not seeing the huge year
over year growth
that that the retail
companies are seeing now
just because we've been in it so long.
And so we just don't
see those huge spikes.
We're we're still seeing an increase,
but it's more of a
we're plateauing a little bit.
So I think that's that's
those will continue
as our growth categories,
hardwood, hardwood seeing
is still not having the growth
that or the it's
it's seeing a little bit of shrinkage
mainly because of
you're seeing obviously
very realistic wood looks in luxury vinyl
and you're in the wood
look tile
that dominated
over the last few years as well.
That's sort of waning a little bit too,
but it was
kind of eating into that
hardwood business.
So I would like to see some,
you know,
some of that waterproof technology
we talked about earlier
kind of
come back and
and customers really demand it
because at the end of the day,
they are walking
on a real hardwood floor.
It's just that
the supplier has,
you know, as has upgraded
the core of the center of it
with some waterproof technology
just so that they can have it in more,
you know, in
more higher water use areas of their home
kitchens and bath.
So excited about that
As far as new things,
like I said, laminate,
laminate is having a revival right now.
We're excited about it
and we'll continue to push.
It's our largest growth category
on a very small base.
So we'll continue to do that.
But one thing that we
are excited about
is going outside the home.
So inside the home
that has been residential
replacement has been ProSource
kind of bailiwick for years and years
for over 30 years. Right?
As over the last few years, we've seen
a enormous growth
in the outdoor living category.
And we want to
you know, we want our piece of the pie
there too as well.
So we we've
we already have access to
and have been selling outdoor tile
products, pavers
and outdoor tiles made from porcelain.
And so there's already access
to those products.
And right now
and we are seeing showrooms
better merchandise
and so that the customer can see
they actually have
these types of outdoor products.
So we're seeing a lot of that right now
in addition
to those outdoor products
that we already have access to,
we have partnered with an additional
a new supplier to
get into the decking business.
So we are piloting that program right now
because decking is flooring, right?
It's outside
and so we are excited about it.
We think that there's
a big opportunity there.
We have several showrooms
already in the business.
We have about another ten showrooms
that are getting into the business
from pilot standpoint.
They've got displays coming.
They've got actual live decks
in their showroom
that they're going to be able
to kind
of show a customer
what a deck might look like
if they were to do this at their home.
It's a composite product.
So it's not it's not a wood product,
but it's a very realistic wood
wood looking product.
It's an upgrade from other composite
deck systems that are out there.
And we feel that it is by far
the coloration,
the actual graining of it,
and that it's gorgeous.
And I think that customers
are really going to like it.
So kitchens,
for example, will start to head outdoors.
They should see more outdoor kitchens.
ProSource becomes the source
to make that a reality.
Yeah,
we we've we've really
are going to take a dive here
into this and between
the the
outdoor kitchens,
which I'm
sure you talked about
in prior episodes
and in between that
and the decking material, artificial turf
has been another one
where, you know,
you've got so many
markets that are very water restricted
and people still want that
look of grass around their home.
We can do that now with artificial turf.
And it is it's a great product.
It's got a great feel to it.
It's got a beautiful
look to it, very realistic.
So between,
you know, turf, between decking
and the outdoor paver
tile system systems that are out there,
we feel
we can create these outdoor living spaces
that not just kitchens,
but really, you know, dens
and that
that really bring that outdoor living
or the indoor living feel
right to the outdoor.
So we're excited
about the category overall.
Looking forward to it.
Good. Well, that's all I had.
So I appreciate you taking the time
to talk to us today.
Absolutely. Thanks for having me.
Thanks, Neal. All right.
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us on The ProSource Podcast.
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