IMEMBER SPOTLIGHT: MARK GALDO — CERAMIC TILE AND FLOORING

MARK GALDO (OWNER) MAY BE A NEW MEMBER OF THE LBPA, BUT HE’S NO STRANGER TO THE TILE AND FLOORING BUSINESS. AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN BOTH THE RETAIL AND INSTALLATION SIDES OF THE BUSINESS, MARK NOW HAS HIS OWN STOREFRONT ON EAST BALTIMORE AVENUE.

THE STORE, WHICH GALDO OPENED IN OCTOBER 2000, IS THE LATEST STEP FOR ITS ENTREPRENEURIAL OWNER. GALDO HAS SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST TWO DECADES IN THE BUSINESS, HAVING INSTALLED NEARLY EVERY TYPE OF FLOORING AS A CONTRACTOR AND POSSESSING RETAIL EXPERIENCE FROM AN EARLIER VENTURE WITH A BUSINESS PARTNER.

NOW WITH A HIGH-VISIBILITY STOREFRONT ON BALTIMORE AVENUE, GALDO CAN INTRODUCE AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS TO THE MANY FLOORING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM. AFTER YEARS OF INSTALLING FLOORING IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, MARK IS EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP A NEW CUSTOMER BASE OF RETAIL SHOPPERS.

“WE WANT TO BUILD A DECENT WALK-UP BUSINESS, AND SO FAR THINGS ARE GOING WELL,” HE SAYS. “DURING THE WEEK, TRAFFIC IS SPORADIC, BUT A LOT OF THE WEEKENDS ARE REALLY BUSY.”

IN RECENT YEARS THE TREND FOR DO-IT-YOURSELFERS HAS BEEN TO HIT THE BIG STORES FOR TILE AND FLOORING SUPPLIES, BUT MARK BELIEVES THAT INDEPENDENT MERCHANTS CAN ALSO BRING A NUMBER OF VALUE-ADDED SERVICES TO THESE CUSTOMERS. WHAT’S DRIVING CUSTOMERS TO THIS SMALL AND FRIENDLY LOCAL MERCHANT FOR THEIR FLOORING NEEDS?

“WELL WE REALLY DO HAVE SOME GREAT PRICES,” HE SAYS, “AND OUR SELECTION AND EXPERTISE ARE REALLY WHAT THE CUSTOMER NEEDS WHEN THEY’RE LOOKING FOR FLOORING.”

MARK AND HIS STAFF ARE HIGHLY SKILLED IN INSTALLING EVERYTHING FROM HARDWOOD, VINYL AND TILE FLOORS TO DESIGNER WOOL CARPETING. HE HAS ABOUT 10 PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM PERFORMING INSTALLATIONS IN RESIDENCES, BUSINESSES, OFFICES AND SHOPPING CENTERS.

THE STORE OFFERS A SELECTION OF MORE THAN 5,000 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CERAMIC TILE, AND GETS TOP-QUALITY WOOD FLOOR OPTIONS FROM MORE THAN 15 MILLS. MARK SAYS THE STORE KEEPS A MODEST INVENTORY OF COMMON ITEMS, BUT IS ABLE TO GET VIRTUALLY ANY TYPE OF FLOORING MATERIALS ORDERED AND DELIVERED WITHIN ONE TO THREE DAYS.

MARK ALSO IS AN EXCELLENT SUPPLIER OF FLOORING MATERIALS TO CONTRACTORS, OFFERING DISCOUNTED PRICES ON TILE AND FLOORING MATERIALS. HE ALSO PROVIDES FULL DELIVERY OF ALL MATERIALS TO THE WORK SITE.

MARK GALDO CERAMIC TILE AND FLOORING IS LOCATED AT 92 EAST BALTIMORE AVENUE. THE RETAIL STORE IS OPEN FROM 7:00 AM UNTIL 5:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND 10:30 AM UNTIL 3:00 PM ON SATURDAYS (ALTHOUGH THE STORE IS CLOSED SATURDAYS DURING JULY AND AUGUST). CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS FOR EVENINGS AND OTHER HOURS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL MARK GALDO AT 610-259-0438.

ARTICLE BY shoplansdowne.com (VOLUME 6 NUMBER 6)

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