Family Values Put the Customer First
Josh and Adam Alban’s grandparents started a family carpet business in Denver in the 1950s. And while so much has changed over the decades, a lot has stayed the same, too. For brothers Josh and Adam, the current owners of Sloane’s Carpet Secret, the founding principles instilled by their parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents still permeate the business today.
Integrity:
“If you’re in it for the long run, and we always have been, then you have to treat your employees and customers like you wish to be treated,” explains Josh. “Honesty is non-negotiable at Sloane’s.” In the early years, your business lived and died by word-of-mouth referrals. That’s still true today and is even more amplified with social media and customer review platforms like Google and Yelp. Sloane’s Carpet Secret works hard to maintain its good reputation, as evidenced by the consistent referrals that account for roughly 40 percent of its business.
Specialization:
“My parents believed in doing one thing and doing it really well,” Adam comments. That lives on today at Sloane’s, particularly in the innovative business model that focuses on mid- to high-end carpets at massive discounts. Josh and Adam go directly to the country’s largest carpet mills to hand-select carpet with very slight imperfections. Instead of a slick showroom, Sloane’s warehouse environment keeps overhead low and allows customers to see and feel their carpet. The end result is that customers get deep discounts on the best possible carpet.
“With a big-box store, you’re basically ordering your carpet from a catalog and waiting for it to ship. We have your high-quality carpet in stock and can get it installed by local professionals within six to 10 days…”
Customer Service:
Have you ever been to a big home improvement store and searched endlessly for someone knowledgeable to help you? “This is the opposite of what you experience with us,” Josh points out. Every salesperson has a long work history in carpet, many of them started as installers. For our customers, this means questions are answered with confidence in a no-pressure environment that’s more about education. “Even if you don’t buy, you’ll learn something,” sums up Adam.
Giving Back:
Josh and Adam’s parents have always felt the business had a responsibility to give back to the Denver community. They began Sloane’s support of SafeHouse Denver, an emergency shelter for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, in 2008. The support continues today in the form of in-kind and monetary donations, and Sloane’s is a Platinum sponsor of the nonprofit’s annual fundraising event.
Buying Local:
Josh and Adam have seen globalization and e-commerce open up a whole new world of choice for consumers since Sloane’s was founded. But the recent pandemic has and will continue to reshape buying habits. Many leaders and economists are quickly realizing that local resources, distribution channels and manufacturing are necessities for communities to survive and thrive when disruptions occur. Sloane’s continues to do our part by keeping 1 million square feet of carpet in stock. “All our products are made in the U.S. and sourced directly from U.S. mills,” emphasizes Adam. “With a big-box store, you’re basically ordering your carpet from a catalog and waiting for it to ship. We have your high-quality carpet in stock and can get it installed by local professionals within six to 10 days, in most cases.”