By TaRena Reece, CPCDC Marketing & Facilities Manager
As I step through the front door at Haley’s Carpet in Shawnee, a homey fragrance fills the wide-open space and immediately sets me at ease. Today, I am on a mission. A new business has just set up shop in town, and I am out to get the lowdown on all the excitement. As Haley’s Carpet expands under owner Jamie Hubble — a Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal member — the company seeks to put stakes down in the Shawnee home improvement market. Inside the shop, it only takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sights and smells of the wonderland before me. The colors, designs and displays all indicate this is not your average carpet store.
Strolling casually across the store, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma member and manager Michael Rowe greets me with a confident and welcoming smile. It is clear Rowe takes as much pride in the store as his boss, and Hubble credits him with pitching the idea of expanding into the Shawnee area. An independent contractor for some time, Rowe was looking for a place to call home, and the well-established Haley’s Carpet of Oklahoma City was ready for growth. While Hubble wraps up another call, Rowe gives me a tour around the store, explaining product lines, material quality, and carpet and tile options as well as how Hubble designed the entire 3,000-square-foot showroom on her own. I am impressed.
Against the wall are lovely kitchen and shower remodel demos, leading me to dream of updating my own 60-year-old kitchen. The alternating lights and darks of the tile backsplash on the demo contrasted against the calming blue hues of the walls are to die for, and my brain is doing double duty as I try to concentrate on this interview. I have a story to write, but the Haley’s Carpet showroom transported me somewhere utterly unexpected, and a million ideas burst into my head.
Hubble has put a lot of thought into how she presents her business to the world, and it speaks volumes to the quality of work that goes into each relationship she builds with her customers. Slipping into the shoes of a paying customer for a moment, I want to know what the first step is.
Rowe patiently explains the simple process they have for helping customers with their flooring needs. With two convenient locations, customers can choose to come into the showroom to review products or request an in-home visit complete with measurements and samples. Haley’s Carpet wants to make sure you get the best possible service, so they go the extra mile.
A household name in the Oklahoma City metro area since 1969, Haley’s Carpet came under new management when Hubble and her late husband bought out John Haley in 2009. Since then, Hubble has worked hard to balance her work life and family to create a business she loves. As a brand-new Native business owner, Hubble had her hands full, but she gained the skill set necessary to run a full-time business. She loves doing design work and incorporates her passion into a business offering a full line of remodeling services. Haley’s Carpet does flooring, countertops, backsplashes, painting, full kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and more, complete with a crew to clean up when the job is done.
Hubble, a technical writer for the Federal Aviation Administration, put a business plan together and came straight to the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation for her commercial loan. As a Tribal member, Hubble knew of the program with the CPCDC. She had the confidence to approach the lending team with a solid business plan, knowing she would be treated fairly. Hubble wanted to be more involved with her Tribe, and working with the CPCDC has helped her accomplish that goal through the friendships she has built as a result of the program.
Hubble said the adjustment from her desk job with the FAA to business owner has been different: sometimes stressful but very rewarding. What sets Haley’s Carpet apart from other similar services is competitive pricing and their exceptional customer service; from start to finish, you deal with one primary representative to handle your project. The Shawnee location also offers a discount to Native American customers when they present a tribal ID with their order.
To learn more about Haley’s Carpet, visit their new site at 4010 N. Kickapoo, Suite 4, Shawnee, Oklahoma, or online at haleyscarpetokc.com.
The Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation finances tribal enterprises and lends to Native-owned businesses like Haley’s Carpet all across Oklahoma and the United States. Give us a call at 405-878-4697 or visit us online at cpcdc.org to see how we can help your Native business today.