| Butler
Floor & Carpet Co. had its humble beginnings
on 331 South Washington Street in Butler, PA. Originally a 15’
x 25’ sales floor, a small office on the first floor, and
a phone number of 74016, the company paled in comparison to the
business today. 
With only his entrepreneurial spirit and the drive to be successful,
Loyd Croft, a war veteran working as a mechanical engineer for
Spang Co., wanted to run his own business. In 1949 the opportunity
arose for Loyd to purchase Butler Floor Co. With no background
in floor coverings or previous experience managing a business,
Loyd took the plunge and purchased the company from Eddie Trampson.
Loyd and one other salesman ran the store, with sales in both
residential and commercial hard surface flooring. At the time,
linoleum was the floor to have, and the asphalt tile being installed
was still made with asbestos. Customer selection was limited to
a few colors of linoleum and rubber tile and ten colors of asphalt
tile. Plastic wall tile was also a popular item for bathroom and
kitchen walls.
Butler
Floor moved to a new building at 231 West Wayne Street in 1957,
where they were co-tenants with Gregg Glass Co. Business was good
and saw expansion into acoustic ceiling sales and the eventual
takeover of the Gregg Glass space, as well as the Tip Top Bakery
facility.
Carpet was added to Butler Floor’s sales selection in 1966.
Large rolls of carpet were stored right on the sales floor, so
when a customer walked in and made a selection, the salespeople
could cut the carpet right there on the spot.

Brothers, Dave and Jack Croft took over the company as partners
in 1972 and continued to develop the business. In 1987, Butler
Floor moved again to their current location at 1763 North Main
Street Ext., one mile north of the Clearview Mall. A second company
was added, Butler Floor & Carpet Co., Inc. to represent the
residential division, while Butler Floor Co. continued to manage
the commercial flooring and acoustic business.
The public often thinks that as a small, private flooring dealer,
Butler Floor will be more expensive than the big box stores like
Home Depot or Lowe’s. Instead, they find competitive pricing,
experienced salespeople and installers, plus a professionalism
that can’t be matched by those big stores.
Butler Floor’s knowledgeable staff is more than happy to
assist a customer with their questions or concerns. If there are
any issues during installation, the customer is always pleased
to find that Butler Floor is quick to correct the problem with
no hassles.
The company has been fortunate over the years to have hardworking,
loyal employees, seven of which have retired with forty or more
years of service.
Over 60 years after Loyd’s purchase, Butler Floor Co.
remains in the Croft family. The phone number has a few more digits,
and there are more installers and salespeople, but the excellent
service remains the same. So, whether you have a four-story office
building that needs carpet and sheet vinyl or a kitchen that needs
ceramic tile, you are sure to find the service and flooring you
need at Butler Floor Co.
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