Community Highlights: Meet Phil Thompson of Preston Thompson’s Carpet Shoppe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phil Thompson.

Hi Phil, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Brenda and Preston Thompson are my parents, and they opened in 1970 and are still active in it to this day.

They are from Hickman County and met at Hickman County High School in Centerville, TN. After school, they married and moved to Dickson and have recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. Coincidentally, my dad first worked at Brown’s Hardware, located in the same building he would open The Carpet Shoppe in 7 years later.

He went to work for Walt Peters at Main Floor Covering back in the mid-1960s. They developed a good relationship, and Mr. Peters, who preferred installing flooring instead of selling it, taught him the business. Mr. Peters eventually sold Main Floor Covering, and my parents decided to open The Carpet Shoppe in June of 1970. Soon, Mr. Peters agreed to install flooring for us and stayed with us for 35 years until he retired.

Our first location was 701 E. College St., where First Federal Bank and Walgreens are today. The state built Highway 46 (Mathis Drive) directly through our location in the summer of 1983, so we had to find another place to operate. Fortunately, my dad was able to purchase and build at 207 Henslee Drive, and we’ve been here ever since.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a business is never a smooth road. The US Health & Human Services Dept. has found that 95% of all businesses fail within 18 months. Of the 5% that make it past that, 95% of them fail within the next 3 1/2 years. We’ve had to persevere through the initial start-up period, recessions, relocating through the declaration of the state’s eminent domain, and the day in and day out struggles of running a business. Through it all, we love our business and are celebrating our 50th year serving Middle Tennessee.

George Abernathy of the National Federation of Independent Business recently came into our store and presented us with a 50th-year plaque. He said, “I don’t usually have the opportunity to present a business with a 50-year plaque and I wanted to personally hand it to you. Congratulations to Preston Thompson’s Carpet Shoppe for their longevity and excellence in business.”

My sister and I were both born and raised here, and our children were born and raised here too. We can tell you firsthand that Dickson County is a great place to live and raise your family. Most of the people who live here are down-to-earth folks who want the best for their families, friends, and neighbors. Therefore, one of the significant advantages AND challenges of doing business in Dickson is that if our customers had a great experience with us, they’ll tell everyone about it. Still, if they didn’t, they’ll tell everyone about it. Word of mouth spreads quickly in a small community, so we know we’ll be put out of business if we aren’t putting out the best business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
What do you think sets you apart from other floor covering stores in the area?

1) We offer a “45 Day, No Regrets Guarantee” – We will replace your new flooring, no questions asked, up to 45 days after installation.

2.) We offer a “Lifetime! Labor Warranty” – Example: If your carpet starts to wrinkle or pull away from the wall 20 years after installation, call us, and we’ll take care of it.

3.) Real Experience. Every salesperson in our store has at least 25 years of floor covering expertise. At the big box stores, your “flooring salesperson” may have worked in plumbing last week.

4.) We make available 0% interest financing to spread your investment out over time at no additional cost. “Don’t let what’s in your wallet today affect what’s in your home for years to come.”

We have just opened a brand new Benjamin Moore Paint store in our 10,000 square foot showroom. We’ve sold paint for 33 years, and it has always complemented our floor covering business by making it easier for our customers to decorate their homes in a single pleasant environment. We’re honored to be able to associate our name with such a reputable company as Benjamin Moore and that they have trusted us to bring their paint products to Dickson. The new paint department has a large color display with over 3,000 paint chips, so you can spread out your selection of flooring samples and use the color display to pick your wall colors.

Our products, waterproof laminate, hardwood flooring, tile, rugs, carpet, vinyl, Benjamin Moore Paint, etc… Have gotten more beautiful and incredibly durable over the years, and technology has made it easier to reach out to our customers. Styles, taste, and fashion are constantly changing, but the one thing that will never change is our business philosophy. We know we would not be here today if not for our customers. They are our bosses, and we work for them. We listen, ask them questions about what they want or need, and then guide them towards the products that fit their needs. Have you ever been to a big store to purchase their products, but you can’t get anyone even to make eye contact with you, and you feel like you are a bother if you approach them? Taking the time to listen and understanding is the crucial first step in creating that enjoyable experience for our customers. It’s a significant investment that’s going into their home. It’s personal, so it’s our job to hold their hand every step of the way, matching them with the perfect flooring and paint, providing warranties, guarantees, and assurances that they don’t have to worry “if this is going to turn out alright.” It will, with us.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
We certainly adhere to the CDC’s recommendations and the governor’s orders. We regularly wipe down our store, and we try to stay a minimum of 6 feet apart from our customers. Each of our employees has a mask with them at all times. We also offer FaceTime shopping, allowing us to show samples and answer questions without the customer leaving their house. We try to do everything we can to be safe for our community, and our hearts go out to those who have been negatively affected by the virus outbreak. Dickson County people seem to have decided to stay upbeat about staying in and are using this time to clean up, fix up, and spruce up their home, and what better way to do so than with paint and floor covering. Though we stay vigilant about not spreading the virus, our business has never been better. It’s humbling to know that the people in our town trust us to be responsible and safe with their families and homes, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

What are the positive things you believe your business has added to the community and the community has added to your company?
We have sponsored and supported hundreds of our local youth programs over the decades, starting with the old Sam Davis Baseball League back in 1970. Since then, we’ve sponsored dozens of youth baseball teams, softball, football, soccer, basketball, numerous recitals, pageants, golf, hunting and fishing tournaments, and all school sports and school events. We’ve worked with charity drives, helped raise and donate to the American Heart Association, National Prayer Day, the Cub Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and just about every type of public event Dickson County has put on. In return, Dickson County has given back to us in so many ways. We have the best customer base in the world. My dad has told me repeatedly over the years, “Always do business with the people who do business with you.” We support our community.

Pricing:

• Our estimates are always free.
• Never price flooring by the square yard or square foot because there are to many ways to be manupilated and tricked.
• Get the bottom line, job completed price and ask for warranties and guarentees.
• Now you can start comparing and choose which store you feel the most comfortable safe with.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.PrestonThompsonsCarpetShoppe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prestonthompsonflooringstore/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrestonThompsonCarpet
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DicksonFlooring
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PTCarpetShoppe
• Other: https://www.prestonthompsonsdicksontn.com