Albert Lea will soon have a full-service flooring company with an extensive showroom.

Floor Tech will be opening the beginning of April, and stems from another branch in Blooming Prairie. Co-owners Tim Wacek and Derek Reichl said Albert Lea has a need for the flooring company.

“There’s no other full service shop in town,” Wacek said.

Both do installation full time and are still looking for workers to staff the store. Wacek said he and Reichl are busy with appointments to install all the products they sell including carpet and laminate, hardwood, vinyl and tile flooring.

Not only do they sell all those products, they sell the accompanying products so that people who prefer to do home improvements themselves could buy anything they need at the new store.

“We have everything for do-it-yourselfers,” Wacek said.

It’s located on East Main Street in Albert Lea near Auto Zone. They said they liked the property, which they’re leasing, because it has good exposure. Since the store isn’t staffed yet, it’s open by appointment or whenever customers see Wacek or Reichl working there. They said anyone can make an appointment by calling the store at 552-1637 or by calling the Blooming Prairie store at 507-583-2276.

“We’re just working on the final touches of the showroom,” Wacek said. “The tile room isn’t done yet, but it will be.”

The tile room will have a variety of tiling on the floor, walls and in a fake shower in one corner of the room. Wacek said he’s excited to have the shower there, which they don’t have at the Blooming Prairie store.

Both men agreed that their customer service and experience will set them apart in their business. Reichl said that between the two of them they have 50 years of experience installing flooring.

“There’s not much out there that surprises us,” Reichl said.

Reichl said a new trend is that more people are going back to installing wood flooring, as opposed to tile or carpeting.

“Wood is the biggest thing right now,” Reichl said.

Other new products include environmentally-friendly products or those made specifically for people who suffer from allergies. Reichl mentioned that there’s a carpet that’s made out of 60 percent corn and the rest from recycled post-consumer product.

Wacek said some of the brands they carry include the full line of Mowhawk carpets, laminate, hardwood and ceramic tile and the full line of Shaw carpets. Other brands include Mannington and Congoleum. Part of the building will be used as their warehouse.

After about three months of putting their showroom together they’ll be ready for customers to see it next month. Wacek said they plan to hold an open house and opening specials, too.