When you’re in your garage, do you ever look down and cringe at the cold, dirty, ugly floor beneath your feet? Lauren McQuaid, of Baltimore’s Granite Garage Floors, wants to make that downward gaze a less painful experience.
Granite Garage Floors outfits garage floors with high quality epoxy coating systems that make ordinary garage flooring look – and last – like granite. The floors are easy to clean, durable, and look great, making them both popular and smart.
The company, which was founded in Atlanta by a former Black & Decker executive, has grown significantly since its founding in 2010. Lauren and her husband Keith, who helps behind the scene, came onboard in 2013, starting the Baltimore division; since then, they have installed over 50,000 square feet of flooring in the Baltimore area. They hope to double that number in the next year.
We talked with Lauren about how she got involved in the company, what she loves about the business, what’s new in flooring, and her plans for the future of Granite Garage Floors:
How did you get involved with Granite Garage Floors?
Keith worked at Black & Decker for over 17 years and stayed with the company after the merger with Stanley.
After the merger, many executives decided that after years in corporate America, it was time to leverage their sales and marketing experience and do something on their own. Granite Garage Floors began in 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by a former Black & Decker colleague of Keith’s.
Knowing the home improvement industry and researching the competition, it was realized that with the right branding and value proposition, there was an untapped market for something along these lines.
Starting in Atlanta, the business and brand expanded to South Florida, Raleigh, Richmond, Kansas City, Denver, and Baltimore, which opened in 2013.
The company is now a consortium of business owners who have a combined 75+ years of sales and marketing experience, mostly with Black & Decker. They all realize the value of professional, quality service marketing to an audience that has a meticulous appreciation for all facets of their home.
What is the best thing about what you do?
Being a small business owner, who has a vision to be the leader in residential and commercial epoxy flooring in the mid-Atlantic region, is exhilarating and rewarding.
To build an unknown brand from scratch, in a market with no awareness of who you are and what you do, to hear positive feedback for the work we do, and to achieve goals beyond expectations for a company still in its infancy stage creates an energy and an attitude that becomes a catalyst to do more.
What are a some of your favorite projects?
Working with custom builders, you are exposed to beautiful architecture and craftsmanship in nooks of the county that are hidden o most. Thanks to the values of our company – including integrity, customer service and quality – we have created relationships and become the trusted installer of epoxy flooring on properties that could be showcased in any interior design magazine.
However, it is hard to narrow down “favorites” because, regardless of square footage or acres of land, at the end of every project, we feel confident that we have transformed an often overlooked concrete floor from “neglect to respect.”
That said, some of our most memorable projects have been a beautiful barn and stable in Cockeysville, off Falls Road, outfitted with our Granite Java Flake, the custom purple, gold and black “Ravens Blend” we created for an ultra football fan and the lime green floor at the Nalley Fresh restaurant downtown. But that list could go on and on!
How does your project fit into overall flooring industry trends?
Epoxy flooring, like ours, is an upgrade that is becoming much more fashion-forward than how most people thought of the product and process just a few years ago. Would you put formica countertops in your home today? No! So why would you treat the concrete in your garage or basement – which typically represents about 15% of the home’s total square footage – any differently? It is an upgrade that adds value while you are still living in the home, as well as for resale.
Our most popular application and finishes are easy to clean, durable, and look great. Some of our new offerings also include metallics and stained concrete – both trends we see in the industry, especially for commercial floors. Our products take a floor from “ugh” to “ahh.”
What’s next for Granite Garage Floors?
Our goal is to be the preferred choice for all residential homeowners, commercial business owners, custom builders, and management companies in the area. We are a small, family-owned business that sees a ton of potential in the Baltimore market – and beyond, in other Mid-Atlantic markets. We are excited about the possibilities!
For more information, visit www.granitegaragefloors.com or call 443-552-4992.
