Valley Flooring Carpet One has been an integral part of the community since 1968. The family-owned business has installed flooring in the Santa Maria Public Library, City Hall, and homes across the valley.
Valley Flooring sits at 1133 W. Cook St. in Santa Maria. It’s a cozy building with a clean storefront; upon entering the double doors, visitors pass into a world of carpet and flooring. During a recent visit, Dan Kitchen—a popular name on the Central Coast for flooring and philanthropy—joked that the store is so large it would be difficult to throw a football from one side to the other.
Not only is the store big, it offers a large array of design selections. The owners say Valley Flooring has the largest area rug selection from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Arranged like giant, fuzzy library books, the rugs that hang from the ceiling come in every color and design imaginable.
Kitchen’s energetic and happy demeanor are contagious. Many people who know him are aware of this.
“It has just been great,” owner Eric Ferrari said when asked about their new hire. “He has brought us energy, and we love it.”
Kitchen has been in the flooring and design industry on the Central Coast for more than 20 years. He said the exciting part of flooring and design is being able to unleash his creativity and create a new feeling in a space that people can enjoy. Many people come to him as first-time carpet buyers and don’t have a clue where to begin. Once they share an idea of the space they want to create, he presents options that will fit their lifestyle.
“Flooring is not boring!” he said with a laugh.
Along with working in the flooring business, Kitchen has done philanthropic work on the Central Coast, including organizing large events that have raised thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer and Alzheimer’s research. He organized the Avila Beach Music Festival for Autism, as well as a benefit to raise money for the families impacted by the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001.
“My passion has always been bringing music to the Central Coast, all while relating it to something charitable,” he explained.
Through his philanthropic projects, Kitchen has brought musicians like Jackson Browne, Chris Hillman, and Los Lobos to the area. He said a lot of what he decides to do is based on humanity and relationships. He shared that if he finds a need somewhere, he does what he can to help.
“Doing things in the community that are meaningful has always been a part of my life. It may seem like a stretch from being a flooring and design guy, but it is really not. I am working with people on a daily basis,” he said.
Being able to design a room to elicit a desired emotion through flooring and color is an art that requires creativity and style. Kitchen has been achieving that balance in the community for years.
Kitchen was recently asked to become part of the Valley Flooring Carpet One family, where he can experiment with different design mediums. Valley Flooring also does color, design, and windows.
“We are so thankful to have Dan here at Valley Flooring,” Ferrari said. “He has been an inspiration to us.”
Kitchen encourages anyone interested in changing the feel of a space to call him at 878-2691. Valley Flooring does free design consultations.
“The best part [of the design consultations] is that it is very low pressure and does not cost anything. I’m happy to come out on an initial visit and get a feel for the space. We can also look at fabric, color palettes, and flooring materials,” Kitchen said. “It’s enjoyable. We try to make it a fun experience. I think we do a pretty good job at that.”
Intern Rebecca Patterson wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
