“We don’t want all the business, just yours,”  is the philosophy made familiar by Shay’s Carpet owner, Joe Shay. That motto is shared by his wife and business partner Robin, and his two sons Joe, IV, manager of the Mayberry store, and Bob, manager of the new Sylvania store. The Sylvania Area Chamber of Commerce team and its Welcoming Committee cut a celebratory ribbon to officially open the newest Shay’s Carpet store at 5434 Monroe St. on April 25.

According to Joe Shay, the family had been looking for a third location. A chance encounter with K. Tyson Fankhauser of EXP Realty LLC  led to the acquisition of the 1,200-square-foot facility on Monroe Street, a former Ken’s Flowers shop. Thomas W. Lueck of Farmers and Merchants State Bank handled the financing for the acquisition.

Following renovations, Shay’s Carpet opened earlier this spring under the management of son Bob, who joined the family business just over three years ago. “This is an excellent location and we have noticed we are doing business in areas we have not provided service to before,” Robin Shay stated. She said sales from new customers living in the Bedford, Temperance, and Lambertville, Mich. areas are occurring at the new store. “We are anticipating those numbers to continue to grow and we are looking to see new customers from areas east of the new store as well.”

The Shay family opened the Mayberry location in July 2018 when Joe Shay, IV joined the family business. Prior to that expansion, Joe Shay operated the business from 1122 Holland Sylvania Rd., a warehouse-turned-showroom. His wife, Robin, served as business and marketing manager. The two continue to operate from the original location and while they have specific tasks, they both help customers with making floor covering selections and provide helpful information when asked. “We both like helping people to make choices that they will be happy with for a long time,” the Shays agreed. “We take time with our customers and we like to educate them on the products we carry,” Joe Shay added.  

Each of the three showrooms exhibit many of the floor-to-ceiling products the Shays offer to customers. In addition to flooring materials, the Sauder’s brand ceiling system, complete with its custom lighting systems, is installed in the showrooms. There is also carpet, vinyl tile, waterproof vinyl planks, wood flooring including bamboo, laminates and cork, luxury vinyl, and other waterproof flooring materials on display. “We have multiple brand name floorings available including designer lines of Kane Carpets, which is known for its beauty and its durability,” Joe Shay said. “And we are looking to expand our ‘Shop at Home’ service for more customer convenience.”

Over 30 years ago, Shay started the business selling out of his van after working for a large carpet store. “I knew the business and I wanted to be able to offer my customers better service,” he remembered.
Shay quickly outgrew his van and had to rent a neighbor’s garage. From there he moved first to a location on Central Avenue at Reynolds Road, then to a Monroe Street showroom. The Shays acquired the Holland Sylvania Road property in the early 1990s, first using it as a warehouse 25 years ago. In 2006, the Shays opened a showroom in that location also.

The Shays credit their longevity in the business to their ability to adapt to the ever-changing market. They also point to the excellent crews of installers with whom they work and the emphasis placed on outstanding customer service as other key factors for their business success. “Our customers get our personal attention no matter the size of the job,” he promised.