Duke takes on Chickasaw hardwood line
With the closing last year of the 102-year-old Memphis
Hardwood Flooring, the company’s signature Chickasaw brand of unfinished
hardwood flooring had been without a home. Now, former Memphis Hardwood
executive Jim Duke is set to resurrect the line. Working closely with Barnes
Lumber Group in Hamburg, Ark., Duke has brought the venerable flooring line –
and widely recognized Indian head profile logo – back to the industry.
“Last fall when Memphis dissolved the business, the ownership decided to sell off all of its assets,” explains Duke. “I saw the value of the Chickasaw brand and quickly acquired the name, and went to work to revive the brand.” He added that the new incarnation of Chickasaw embodies all the original charm and character of classic unfinished oak flooring. At the same time, Duke assured the brand will have a few updates.
“We’re running a lot more plank than Chickasaw did [at Memphis Hardwood],” he says. “We’ve added red and white oak plank to our 2 1/4” and 31/4” strip products. We’re also looking at adding walnut and other products as we go.”
Duke said that Barnes Lumber Group is a good fit for Chickasaw flooring. It operates sawmills in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas. Additionally, the company runs a flooring mill in Arkansas and may expand into another facility soon.
Duke has in place distribution agreements and, in a nod to the changing tastes of the consumer, has retooled the brand’s tagline. Originally “Your feet will never be sore as long as you walk on a hardwood floor,” the slogan is now simply “Chickasaw: You can live on it.”
“To be honest, I always thought that vintage slogan was kind of corny,” Duke laughs. For more information, call (800) 346-3010 or e-mail jimduke@chickasawfloors.com.
“Last fall when Memphis dissolved the business, the ownership decided to sell off all of its assets,” explains Duke. “I saw the value of the Chickasaw brand and quickly acquired the name, and went to work to revive the brand.” He added that the new incarnation of Chickasaw embodies all the original charm and character of classic unfinished oak flooring. At the same time, Duke assured the brand will have a few updates.
“We’re running a lot more plank than Chickasaw did [at Memphis Hardwood],” he says. “We’ve added red and white oak plank to our 2 1/4” and 31/4” strip products. We’re also looking at adding walnut and other products as we go.”
Duke said that Barnes Lumber Group is a good fit for Chickasaw flooring. It operates sawmills in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas. Additionally, the company runs a flooring mill in Arkansas and may expand into another facility soon.
Duke has in place distribution agreements and, in a nod to the changing tastes of the consumer, has retooled the brand’s tagline. Originally “Your feet will never be sore as long as you walk on a hardwood floor,” the slogan is now simply “Chickasaw: You can live on it.”
“To be honest, I always thought that vintage slogan was kind of corny,” Duke laughs. For more information, call (800) 346-3010 or e-mail jimduke@chickasawfloors.com.
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