Our Neighborhood Flooring Store And So Much More!

By Bob Cox

A few years ago, Lynn Lawson, the owner of Ralph Opfer Floors had reached a crossroads after all her kids had all grown up and moved out. She began to experience what millions of American’s go through every year: empty nest syndrome. She intuitively knew that she needed to reinvent herself to overcome the negative emotions of loneliness, grief and lack of purpose.

“For the most part, I’ve been a mother most of my life. When the kids were old enough, I started working part-time,” said Lynn. Lynn took on a wide variety of jobs in the evenings after her husband Gregg came home from working in construction to help with the finances and avoid the expense of hiring baby sitters.

Shortly after her four children had left the nest, Lynn took on two part time jobs, one as a dula (similar to a midwife, according to Lynn) while also helping out her father’s business (Ralph Opfer Floors). After a couple of years, her father was ready to retire and asked Lynn if she would be interested in taking over the business full time. After considerable soul searching, Lynn decided to take a leap of faith and go for it.

I asked Lynn some questions about her experiences since she took over the business six years ago from her father, who started the business in 1974. Here’s what she had to say…

Q: What was your thought process like when your dad offered you his business?

A: I thought to myself, “Okay, what do I do? Do I make the decision to take on this big monster?” At that time, my kids were all grown up and out of the house, so I decided to take it on.

Q: What were the greatest fears you had to work through?

A: How to get enough sales to cover the store so I wouldn't have to sell my house and keep my head above water. Also, not having the experience of owning a business was tough. You have to try things and if they don’t work, you move on to other things. I call it trudging through the sludge.

Q: What’s been your most difficult sludge trudging moment in business?

A: When I took over in 2009, the economy was at rock bottom. My dad gave me a checkbook with $5,000 in it and a warehouse full of wood and said here you go. The rent was $2,450 a month at that time, so I only had two months worth of money in that checkbook. I renegotiated the rent and figured out how to get business back into that store because it had been flat for so long. So, we trudged through the sludge for a long time.

Q: How did your dad get started in the flooring industry?

A: Dad started selling and installing laminate floors in the 1970’s. He became known as “the bargain hunter,” to all his suppliers and he would buy all of their closeouts. With a warehouse full of inventory, you could always come to Ralph Opfer Floors to find a bargain and you still can today!

Q: What else makes Ralph Opfer Floors really special and unique?

A: The personal attention you get when you come here. I go to quite a few lengths to actually find what people want. I’m also a bargain hunter. You can get some really nice products at lower prices, but it takes time to search for those things. We carry every type of flooring you would need, including laminate, hardwood, carpet, tile and vinyl. I also have a lot of stock in my warehouse at huge discounts.

Q: What do your customers enjoy most about working with you?

A: I've become friends with a lot of the people I help. I try to treat them like they’re family and spend a lot of time on each individual person. I also try to keep up to date on new products and trends of the industry so I can be as knowledgeable and helpful as possible.

Q: Are you capable and qualified to take on other home improvement projects?

A: Yes, Gregg (husband and business partner) and I have our own general contractor licenses. Occasionally, a customer will ask for our help with other home improvements. On a recent job, Gregg helped one of our customer’s by opening up a few walls and remodeling her bathroom. She was pleasantly surprised that we could help her with all her projects and more than pleased with the overall quality and attention to detail. We've also added a line of window treatments, so we can help our customers with that as well.

Q: Last year, you took another leap of faith and moved from your old warehouse and built this beautiful showroom. What factors motivated you to do that?

A: In the old warehouse, the lighting was poor and the temperatures were uncomfortably hot in the summer and cold in the winter. We wanted a space where our customers could see our selection in a clean, comfortable and well lit space. Even with the new showroom, I’m worried about covering the costs of this store. So, it’s a constant 24/7 job.

Q: So, you’re still thinking about the business when you come home?

A: Yeah, except when I get around these two (Lynn’s Granddaughters) and then my brain switches over a little bit, which probably keeps me sane (laughs). How do you not enjoy this!

Q: Do you have a technique that really helps you to stay grounded and peaceful?

A: Well, I’m pretty centered by nature. I do have my days when I’m a little more stressed than others but I try not to focus on that type of stuff because that would really drive me crazy.

Q: I understand that your daughter Briana is working here. Do you plan to one day pass the baton to her and keep your family business going strong?

A: Yes, she just moved from Portland, so I’m working on training her to hopefully take over someday.

Editor’s notes: For more information about Ralph Opfer Floors, browse their website at www.ralphopferfloors.com, visit their showroom at 3330 Mather Field Road in Rancho Cordova or call (916) 366-1672.