's only regret in opening an End of the Roll store in the North Shore is that he hadn't done it sooner.
Brad had owned End of the Roll franchises before, and knew he had a good reason to be picky. He needed a large enough building to play to End of the Roll's strength - size. Finding the right building and location took several years. "It might have taken some time but the North Shore is a fantastic market" he says. "We have a very strong clientele.
"What separates us from everyone else is the fact that End of the Roll is the biggest Canadian Flooring Retailer. We stand alone, compared to anyone. Our strongest point is our size and our buying power." Brad says. "Because of our size, we buy the most from the suppliers, so we can negotiate a better price than what an independent store would do. In retail sales it's all about how much you can buy at once. In doing so we are able to provide our customers with the best value at End of the Roll."
Keeping all that volume in the building means Johnson's store can move on customer's requests right away without having to wait for an order to arrive from a distant warehouse. "We can install quickly. People can come in, pick their product and we'll have it installed usually within a week. If you had to do a special order, it could take up to two weeks."
What some homeowners might not know is that, despite the name, End of the Roll offers more than just carpets.
"We are one of the few in the Vancouver area that has inventory on the floor. We have full rolls of carpet, vinyl, laminate, flooring accessories, and area rugs - a lot of people don't know that we're big into area rugs, and hardwood as well. The only thing we don't do is ceramic tile."
While turning over that big inventory, Brad and his staff of six keep their ears to the floor when it comes to interior design trends.
"Colour shades and style are ever changing depending on the trends. The product we're selling today wasn't a big seller a year or two ago. It comes and goes and you have to keep up with the times. We get a lot of feedback from our customers. They guide us as to where style is going. When trends pick up in a certain direction, we'll take our inventory in that direction."
Now an authorized HGTV HOME Flooring by Shaw Dealer, End of the Roll customers have access to view Shaw Floor options through their comprehensive website www.hgtv.com.
They encourage their customers to visit that to be inspired, be educated and choose Shaw floors for beauty, comfort and lifetime warranties that protect against.. life.
Catering primarily to homeowners rather than builders, Johnson knows he has to keep their browsing and buying experience a pleasant one.
"The system we follow is to make it simple and easy for our customers, we have samples ready for them to peruse and to take home as well to help them decide before they buy. Here at End of the Roll we make customer service our competitive edge."
GET TO KNOW ME
What charity groups are you involved with?
Sunshine Dreams for Kids is the charity we support. We've sent kids to Disneyland and bought wheelchairs and so on. We help fufill dreams of kids that are disadvantaged. It is very rewarding knowing when working together as a team, our support can really make a difference to these kids.
Do you play any sports?
Hockey. Hockey, hockey, hockey. Usually on the wing, but I can play anywhere. I'm on an adult recreational team. I love watching the Giants play and I think the Canucks are going to go all the way this season!!
Did you consider any other careers?
My background was in the constuction field. I have built homes and done a lot of design work. It gives me great satisfaction to create something for someone's enjoyment.
And of course this kind of work experience is beneficial in helping customers decide what flooring is best for which application. It is great knowledge to have when I go on site to do estimates and get into some great discussions!
key to success It is my team. They all take pride to work together to do the job well. This commitment is how we have kept the satisfaction and trust of our customers.
