Sacwal Flooring in Chatham. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps). Sacwal Flooring in Chatham. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps).
Chatham

Sacwal Flooring Ready To Move Back 'Home'

A Chatham business that was displaced for over a year after a devastating fire is finally ready to move back to its original location.

Building owner Harry Verhey says Sacwal Flooring Centres in Chatham has been in the temporary location at 418 St. Clair St. since February 2017. The relocation came after a large fire that engulfed the flooring company and two other businesses in a Chatham plaza in January 2017.

He says staff are anxious to move back to the store's original location at 701 St. Clair St.

"The move will be fairly extensive. We've got the complete showroom that has to be moved, our warehouse, our sold inventory, and of course, half of all our equipment--computers, our phones," explains Verhey. "Even moving the tow motor over will be a big task."

According to Verhey, the build is now complete and finishing touches are being added to the interior. The store is set to reopen at its original location on April 2.

"It'll be wonderful to be back. It just allows for a lot more efficiencies when working," says Verhey. "It's difficult to sell a product when you don't have it in the store. Of course we have slots of stock in the temporary warehouse, but it's at the other end of town."

At the same time, the store is also celebrating 40 years of business in Chatham-Kent.

"I am truly as a business person, having been in the business since 1978 in Chatham, I am flabbergasted at the tremendous support that we've had from the community in the temporary location," says Verhey.

He says Sacwal Flooring has also partnered with a firm in London to bring a new lighting shop to the original plaza, which will replace the Lighting & Accent Gallery.

"As a flooring store, we're a full-service store, and for many years we enjoyed the company there of the lighting gallery. However, the owner has retired so the owners of Sacwal have opted to put in there what is going to be called 'The Lighting Shoppe,'" he says.

He says they will have lots of buying power through the firm, which will bring an extensive selection of lighting to the shop at "attractive" pricing.

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