It was estimated in 2010 there were between 11,000 and 12,000 establishments selling floor coverings in the U.S. That number, according to many experts, has contracted to an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 in 2015. In the face of diminishing numbers of independent floor covering retailers, a great deal of pressure remains on the players who are still in business, as they continue defining the roles they plan to serve and outline the market position they hope to fill in the years to come.
Size doesn’t appear to be the answer for all to ensure their longevity in the retail flooring arena, but it also appears to be a very popular tack many retailers elect to take. Many retailers have expanded not only within their own markets but into new markets, yielding more multi-store operators. So in reality, the number of storefronts has not minimized as much as it might seem.