Their
slogan represents the philosophy that has been the driving
force of this successful tile company for over two decades
— Où l’élégance est abordable
or Quality tiles at affordable prices. No matter the language
their mission has been to offer their clientele the latest
trends of the ever changing flooring market. "We are always
trying to give more to our customer", says Steve Zampini,
owner and director of Les Carreaux Métro Inc.
The
family tradition was instilled in Steve by his late father Tony
Zampini, the founder of Metro Tile and Marble Limited in 1964. An
installation company that focused on commercial and residential
projects with a team of 15 tile setters began with a 1000 square
foot storefront and a 9000 square foot warehouse. Since joining
forces with his father in 1984, many changes have occurred, mainly
the expansion of the location. The 7000 square feet showroom and
their whopping 30 000 square feet warehouse represent the commitment
to their clients to maintain inventory of the stock whenever needed.
Since 1984 Les Carreaux Métro
Inc. concentrated primarily in the importation and retail sale of
ceramic tiles. However, always responding to the demands of the
market, Steve has embarked in a new endeavour "We’ve gone
full circle, once again offering our clients installation services
with the new branch of our company Carrelage Metro within one store
location" He continues by saying "Our customers would like us to
offer a more complete service from conception of design, selection
of materials and finally installation."
One
thing Zampini always has to clear up is the misconception of the
company’s name. "It’s funny because everyone gets the
meaning of the store name wrong," he says with a chuckle of the
word Metro, which has been around since the very beginning. "The
word ‘metro’ is Italian for measuring tape. That’s
why my father chose that name."
Walking
into Les Carreaux Metro is a treat in itself. Their showroom spotlights
not only the latest models but displays the different installation
patterns. The professional sales staff are certified designers who
are qualified to draw designs to match the clients’ desires
— all free of charge. They’ll match the tile to kitchen
tiles, paint colours and fabric swatches.
Another
strength of this company is the fact that they import tiles directly
from Italy, Spain, Brazil, China, Uruauay, Malaysia and even Dubai.
In doing, so they can offer the best prices to their customer. "We
understand that everyone has a budget — that is why we cater
to any clientele by offering a range of tiles from 99 cents to $8.00
a square foot without compromising style" They offer modular tiles,
granite tiles, porcelain, ceramic, marble and much more in many
different formats. The other unique feature found at Les Carreaux
Metro is the vast array of wall tiles. "We’re one of the few
stores that still sell wall tiles," Steve says. The reason, according
to Steve is because they’re too expensive to import but because
he is a direct importer, he can sell them at a reasonable price.
The evolution of Les Carreaux
Métro Inc. is not limited to the retail expansion. Steve
has aggressively pursued the commercial aspects of the business.
Taking full advantage of the growth of the construction industry
in Quebec — he is able to offer a great prices and unbeatable
service. We don’t just dump it there and leave it for the
construction workers to carry it up, we place the merchandise in
the specific condo unit" Zampini says of his unique delivery method.
"We offer a full-scale service." Along with his wife Pina Innamorato,
he is proud to say that the construction sales now represent 60%
of the business. She oversees the bookings, scheduling, inventory
availability, and deliveries in addition to customer service to
a demanding clientele. "Without her, we definitely would not be
where we are today," says Zampini.
For
the future, Zampini would like to take his $5 million a year company
to new heights. "I would like to open a second store soon," he says.
No matter what expansion happens to this award-winning company (they
won Petite Entreprise, Detail de L’Annee in 2005, much to
Zampini’s surprise), he is taking his small staff of 18 with
him. "We’re a team," he says of his employees. Zampini would
also like to see his two daughters, Melissa and Tiffany, one day
take over the company. "They have to finish their studies first
and I definitely will not push them into doing anything they don’t
want to do," he says.
When
asked to describe his company, Zampini says, "I will always honour
the inheritance my father gave me. His legacy of hard work and commitment
to success will never be forgotten. It is a privilege to continue
in this wonderful business. When something is built on a strong
foundation, it can only succeed. When you give it your best, people
see the quality and that’s what we do. Quality tiles at affordable
prices."
