Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Alvarado and Luis Sanabria.
Ken and Luis, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 1980 I worked for a small paint and flooring store in Albany Park while also working part time for a flooring installer where I learned to install, sand and finish wood floors. In 1987 I began a career at what would become one the biggest flooring distributors in Chicago. During my twenty years there as vice president, I attended many classes and seminars furthering my knowledge of the industry. In 1992 I met my now partner, he was still in high school sanding floors for a friend of mine. We have been working together since. Eventually, in 2007, I decided to open my own supply distributorship in Skokie. We moved to our new location in July of 2016 where we doubled our space and inventory by bringing in new mills and products. We are a distributor which specializes in domestic wood species of red and white oak, maple, hickory, walnut, and rift & quartered cut.
Has it been a smooth road?
In 2008, with the collapse of the housing market, we were uncertain if the business would survive. Thanks to our loyal customers, exceptional customer service and diverse products we emerged battered but with new survival skills. Competitors have and will always be part our battle, but we distinguish ourselves with product knowledge, customer support and high quality product lines.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the National; Hardwood Flooring and Supplies story. Tell us more about the business.
We specialize in domestic species wood flooring. What sets us apart from the others is our vast experience in the industry. We work with private mills to offer high end flooring that is milled to superior specifications. Our specialty is Amish milled floor, no one else in the state carries Amish floors. We are experts in repair and maintenance of flooring equipment. We are able to repair machines that are over 50 years old. We are proud that most our customer base have been doing business with us for over 15 years.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8121 Austin
Morton Grove,IL 60053 - Website: www.nationalhardwoodandtile.com
- Phone: 847-673-0855
- Email: nationalflooringandsupplies@gmail.com
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/national-hardwood-flooring-and-supply-morton-grove
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/nationalhardwoodskokie/national-hardwood-flooring-and-supplies
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
