The next VDTA/SDTA Convention & Show will be in
New Orleans, LA
February 27 - 29, 2012
at the Ernest Morial Convention Center

Al’s Vacuum celebrates grand opening

Al’s Vacuum & Janitorial Supply, Inc., a Minneapolis landmark for over 35 years, recently celebrated the grand opening of their new location. From humble beginnings in 1973, selling mostly refurbished product out of a converted auto repair shop, Al and Karen Allstadt along with their family of loyal employees, have built a powerhouse retail store, growing from 500 square feet to their last location at over 4,000 square feet.

They currently carry product from Riccar, Miele, Eureka, Panasonic, Dyson, TTI, Sanitaire by Electrolux among others and also carry an extensive back stock of both product and repair parts. They are the repair and warranty station for most major brands in the Minneapolis market.

Al stated that he wanted to create a state-of-the-art showroom to highlight his product offerings and he worked closely with designers, architects and flooring specialists to achieve the look he was seeking. The finished product, with over 6,500 square feet of showroom, office and warehouse space, features flat screen TV displays, different finished floor coverings, from hard woods to plush carpets and a coordinated color concept throughout. Al even added a children’s play area, complete with flat screen DVD combo and a coffee station, with seating for the grown ups. The new look has impressed all the new customers coming through the door and sales have seen an upsurge.

For the grand opening event Al ran an extensive ad campaign in the greater Minneapolis market, using print and radio. On the big day local radio personalities Ian and Margery were on hand to do live radio broadcasts and sign autographs for their many fans who stopped by to say hello. Both Josh May, regional sales manager, and Andy Mageen, national sales manager for Riccar, were on hand to help with demos and to answer consumer questions. Al also had a 25-foot-high inflatable balloon from Riccar in the parking lot to attract shoppers driving by. The sales staff, Ray, Dave, Erik, Jesse and Scott along with Al’s lovely wife Karen were kept busy all day long, despite the sale falling on the day after the large stock market sell off. There were several consumers who drove over 35 miles to attend the sale.

Al, Karen and their long time staff are looking forward to the future in their new store for many years to come.

Reprinted from Floor Care Professional, December 2008