DALTON—Mohawk Industries has selected Prints and Paints Floor Covering Company, Galion, OH, as its Mohawk ColorCenter Dealer of the Year for 2005.

The retailer was selected from Mohawk ColorCenter stores nationwide as the dealership that most completely executed the concepts and ideas behind the Mohawk ColorCenter Concept.

Prints and Paints Floor Covering Company was singled out for the Dealer of the Year Award based on a number of criteria set up by Mohawk, including sales growth, consumer experiences, promotion and installation ideas, commitment to training and addressing customer expectations, community involvement, and excellence in promoting the store concept.

Established in 1977, Prints and Paints was founded by Sandy Frankhouse and Gary Frankhouse, Sr. as an independently owned and operated retail and commercial home center. The mission statement today remains consistent with the original statement of 1977: "Preserve customer service and stay abreast of product development, quality, and prices." Their sons, Gary, Jr. and Steve, became involved in the business after they finished college.

The firm has 23 employees and serves a Central Ohio market area that includes parts of Columbus. It is a total decorating resource, because in addition to floor coverings, Prints and Paints offers wall and window treatments, paint, bedding, and other items.

Gary Frankhouse, Jr. said that one of the things that separates his store from others is that employs its own installers. “This gives us advantages in quality, customer satisfaction, and scheduling,” he noted. And he said that the company’s move to become a Mohawk ColorCenter Elite dealer paid off immediately.

“It’s the presentation that makes a difference,” he said. “Mohawk ColorCenter provides a professional, consumer-oriented environment that makes selection easy for the shopper. This is critical in today’s market.”

Frankhouse, Jr. said that even though Galion, OH is in an economically depressed area, Prints and Paints had its second-largest sales increase in history in 2004, and doubled its Mohawk sales after becoming a Mohawk ColorCenter Elite store a year ago. And he said that even in a blue-collar based community, the Mohawk ColorCenter Elite store concept has increased average ticket sales and encouraged consumers to buy better-quality goods.

“The Frankhouse family is a great example of why Mohawk ColorCenter exists,” said Manny Llerena, Mohawk Vice President of Retail Marketing. “Prints and Paints is a business that is superbly run. Our Mohawk ColorCenter Elite program allowed the Frankhouses to quickly and effectively enhance the value of their reputation for professionalism and quality. We saw almost immediate sales increases. Our partnership is working well for Prints and Paints and for Mohawk Industries, and we are delighted to recognize the entire Prints and Paints organization with this award.,” he said.

Mohawk ColorCenter dealers are a select group of retailers who partner with Mohawk to develop stronger brand recognition for both products and their stores. Begun in 1974, the Mohawk ColorCenter program is the oldest program of its kind, and clearly one of the most successful.

Today, more than 2000 stores display the Mohawk ColorCenter logo. To be a Mohawk ColorCenter dealer, a store must dedicate a significant portion of its floor space to the concept, which provides consumers with an easy-to-understand presentation of carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic, resilient, cushion, rugs, and other products. A store display program introduced in 2003, Mohawk ColorCenter Elite, focuses on teaching consumers about different floor covering products and helps simplify the process of making a buying decision. The goal is to give consumers the information they need to choose the floor covering products that are right for their homes.

In addition, Mohawk ColorCenter retailers get access to a broad range of additional programs, including advertising, merchandising, education, training, new installation techniques, and new profit centers such as window treatments and cleaning.

To learn more about Mohawk ColorCenter programs, retailers can call 1-800-241-4900 and speak to Mark Olson (East Coast) at extension 24959 or Rodney Mauter (West Coast) at extension 24956.



Mohawk Industries: Mohawk is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications and a producer of woven and tufted broadloom carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, and an array of home products including pillows, throws, bedspreads, and other textiles. The company designs, manufactures, and markets premier brand names, which include “Mohawk,” “Mohawk ColorCenter,” “Mohawk Floorscapes,” “Mohawk Floorz,”“Aladdin,” “Bigelow,” “Custom Weave,” “Durkan,” “Galaxy,” “Helios,” “Horizon,” “Mohawk Commercial,” “World,” “WundaWeve,” “Goodwin Weavers,” “Karastan,” “Mohawk Home,” “Newmark,” “Dal-Tile,” “American Olean,” “Mohawk Hardwood Flooring,” “Mohawk Ceramic Tile,” and “Mohawk Laminate Flooring.”


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