Once a family business, always a family business

A family business that’s been a fixture in North English for 26 years has been sold … to another family who plans to keep things just the way they are.

Former owners Alex and Jayne Garcia, North English, passed the reins of Garcia Carpet to Abby and Jared Maas of rural South Amana on April 1. The Garcias had owned and operated the business since August of 1997 when they opened a 14 x 14 foot square shop next to the North English library. More than two and a half decades later, Garcia Carpet has become the only flooring business in Iowa County, offering carpet, vinyl, ceramic tile and luxury vinyl tile.

“We finally decided it was time to retire,” Jayne said. “I didn’t want to work until I’m dead.”

After 26 years, Alex and Jayne are looking forward to stepping away from the working grind. Having time to travel and explore places they’ve always dreamed of seeing is on their retirement agenda.

“We bought an RV. We’ve never had one before so we’ll see how that goes,” Jayne said with a laugh.

When they put the business up for sale, things didn’t look good. No one was interested.

“I even sent most of my displays back to the companies,” Jayne said, as she anticipated the businesses simply closing. “Then Abby and Jared came in at the eleventh hour.”

As a member of the Iowa County Board of Supervisors, Abby Maas serves on the Iowa County Development Board. Fellow board member Trent Forrest was the Realtor listing the Garcia’s business. When Abby learned about the business for sale, the opportunity intrigued her. Not only did she see the value in small town businesses but she and her husband were looking for a business opportunity not related to farming in order to diversify their income.

After two weeks of job shadowing the Garcias, Abby and Jared confirmed this was the right business path for them. While Jared will continue the family farming operation, Abby will be joined by her second cousin, Ava Ashcraft, at the flooring store. Five of the six installers the Garcias employed — including one of Alex’s brothers and two of his nephews — will stay on with the new ownership. The sixth has retired.

The Garcias are delighted Abby and Jared have stepped in to take over the business.

“So many small businesses end up closing their doors because no one cares,” Jayne said. “I am very confident Abby and Ava will be able to continue to help customers with their needs. This is still a family-run business. You’re not just a customer, you’re a friend. Abby and Jared share that approach.”

“The only changes you’ll see are new faces in the store,” Abby confirmed. “We will continue Jayne and Alex’s tradition of treating customers like friends.”

‘A happy customer is the best advertising’

Alex Garcia learned the flooring trade in California when he was 16. After he and Jayne married, they moved to North English, her hometown, in 1983, and Alex worked as a flooring installer for Creative Interiors, Marengo. From there, he took a job as an installer at Carpetland in Iowa City. When that store was sold to Randy’s Carpets and the new owners had their own installers, Alex decided it was time to go into business for himself. He and two brothers, Olimpio Armenta and Esequil Armenta, joined him as installers when Garcia Carpet opened in 1997.

“I knew absolutely nothing about selling flooring,” Jayne recalled. “I learned by experience.”

Alex’s reputation for quality work and Jayne’s determination to learn the ins and outs of flooring sales led the business to thrive.

“It’s been good to us,” she said. “We’ve done well but make no mistake, it’s been hard work.”

In 2003, the shop moved from its tiny space near the library into a larger rented building in North English. In 2008, the Garcias purchased their current storefront at 105 S. Main Street. The building had previously housed a used furniture business. When the owners of Jacobs Jewelry Store next door retired and closed in 2013, the Garcias purchased the building, opened up a dividing wall and used the additional space to offer a line of ceramic tile and luxury vinyl planking.

As other home furnishings businesses through the county closed or stepped away from selling flooring, the Garcias became the only Iowa County source for carpeting, vinyl and tile.

“The customer’s happiness was our main goal,” Jayne said. “A happy customer is the best advertising there is.”

Moving forward

Abby says the shift from running a horse boarding business, farming with her husband and serving on the Board of Supervisors to learning the ins and outs of the flooring business has come with a learning curve.

“It was a little crazy but in a good way,” she said. Like Jayne, Abby says she’s coming into the business with an open mind and ready to learn. While she and Jared plan to give the storefront a fresh coat of paint and possibly add a hardwood flooring line, the changes will only be cosmetic. Even the name will stay the same.

“We didn’t want to change that,” Abby said. “It stands for quality.”

“Right now we’re focused on day-to day business operations and keeping things going,” she continued. “We’re off to a good start. We’re already booking into the third week of May for installation.”

Garcia Carpet is located at 105 S. Main Street, North English. The business phone is (319) 664-3606; email is garciacarpet@outlook.com and website is www.garciacarpetnorthenglish.com.

Comments: Melinda.Wichmann@southeastiowaunion.com