A Family Affair

When the Summers family moved their flooring business to Bend 30 years ago they couldn’t have timed it better. It was the mid-80s and the population in Bend at the time was only 18,000. New construction was taking off as more people moved to the area, and the market for high-end flooring was climbing.

Until that point the family business, which was located near Portland, had been focused on commercial flooring, installing more than 300 sport courts since their beginning in 1954. Among its most notable jobs, the business installed the largest continuous sports court in the country at a Young Life camp located at the Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, and also installed the floors at Nike’s world headquarters in Beaverton.

Initially, upon relocating to Central Oregon, the Summers family continued in that direction with the business. They put in the gymnasium floors in many of the local schools including Mt. View High School, Cascade Middle School and Redmond High School. Soon, however, the Summers decided to shift their business focus to residential flooring in high-end homes. It was a time of transition in the company as Matt Summers and his wife, Kim, began taking the reins from Matt’s father, Robert (Bob) Summers. Though he stepped down from running the family business, Bob remained an integral part of operations, continuing to install floors for many years to come.

The company’s new direction with Matt at the helm brought in a steady flow of work, and Summers Flooring and Design quickly began to grow and thrive in the residential market. As the business became a household name, demand for their work increased and expanded beyond new homes to golf clubs and resort lodges around Central Oregon.

When the Great Recession hit in 2007, the Summers family business was one of the few that managed to withstand the slump in construction, at least at first. By 2010 the company felt the full effects of the economic downturn, and was forced to decrease their staff from 50 installers to just nine.

Despite the difficulties, Matt was determined to stay in business.

Michael (Mike) Summers, Matt’s son, looks back on that year as an incredibly challenging time for the family.

“Dad said ‘We’re not going to close our doors,’” recalled Mike.

The most important thing to Matt at the time was honoring the debts the business owed to their suppliers. Even though many companies were put in a position where they had to simply stop paying their debts and close their doors, Summers Flooring trudged on and managed to continue making their payments, even to companies and suppliers that had gone out of business themselves.

“We work with and love these people,” said Mike, reflecting on the family’s relationships with other company owners. “We see them in the grocery store; we couldn’t just not pay them.”

The fact that they were able to stay in business while paying off their debts often felt like a miracle, Mike said. The family hoped that someday that effort would pay off.

“We knew if we could stick in there, we could bounce back,” said Mike, who along with his mother, Kim, has been running the business since 2011.

During the recession the showroom at Summers Flooring and Design had many uses. It had been built with a sound system and lighting, and could hold 100 chairs, so the family made the space available for nonprofits and churches to use for meetings.

Being able to pull through the recession while honoring their financial commitments and supporting the local community is the accomplishment that Mike said he considers the company’s greatest success to date.

While the three-generation business suggests a family passion for flooring and design, it’s the relationships that are built through the business that each member of the family has been most passionate about.

“Constantly meeting new people keeps it fun and interesting,” said Mike, noting that investing in the the company’s employees and maintaining a focus on business relationships takes priority.

While running a business can be demanding and time consuming, the Summers still know how to have fun and dedicate themselves to another love they share — music. Matt shares his talent as lead vocalist with High Street, while Mike rounds out the band Precious Byrd with his drumming skills. Participating in the local music scene not only offers them a creative outlet, but it’s also another great way to connect with other people. Those connections often lead to personal friendships, but also provide opportunities for networking, which can, in turn, help build the business.

With the recession in the rearview mirror, Summers Flooring and Design is focused on branding and marketing. As more residents are drawn to Central Oregon, the challenge of reaching new clients can be daunting. Mike hopes to spread awareness of the family business and their reputation for high-quality flooring until Summers once again becomes a household name.

The support and positive reviews from local builders, including Norman Building and Design, promises to push the business toward that goal.

“Summers Flooring truly represents my number one choice for outstanding customer service,” said Kerri Rossi, an interior designer with Norman Building and Design. “They all go above and beyond with a genuine smile. I look forward to working with Michael and Kim Summers and their entire team for years to come.”

With so many of their floors in use, the company motto seems fitting: Life happens on Summers Floors. Mike was inspired with the idea for that slogan while watching his daughter learn to walk on the wood floor in his own home. He was struck by how many people are creating memories and living out their lives all over Oregon, while standing on Summers Floors.