B and K Music

By Nancy Correro
The Times of SWLA

B and K Music, Kinder, La.

B and K Music was started by Ken Smith and Buford Smith in 1978 in their home. Their business grew out of necessity and a love of music.

Ken Smith is a third generation fiddle player. He started playing at age 10. His father, Buford Smith, is a guitarist.

“I grew-up playing in house jam sessions. There were a lot of jam sessions at my grand parent’s house. Some of my relatives that played fiddle were alive at that time and I picked it up,” Ken Smith said.

Ken Smith, World Champion Fiddler

Smith was introduced to a style of music called “Texas fiddle competition music.”

Once he learned that style of playing Smith and his father went all over Texas and through to Alabama competing in fiddle contests. He won several contests across the United States after that and won the state championship in Louisiana five times—all between the ages of twelve and eighteen.

“It was a gift, something I inherited and I pursued it. I gave up everything else in my life that most kids do—basketball, baseball, football—and practiced about four to five hours a day,” said Smith.

Over the years Smith and his father learned to repair their own instruments. There were no repair people in this area at the time.

In order to have an instrument repaired, one would have to go to Houston or New Orleans. According to Smith, there was nowhere to get supplies.

“We opened up a little company in 1978 out of our home. We were able to get a distributor to furnish and supply us in tools like strings and accessories,” said Smith.

When Smith turned twenty-one, he told his father he would like to open a retail store in Kinder and that is what they did.

Bufford Smith, Guitarist and co-owner.

“We starved to death for about ten years,” Smith said, laughing, “1981 was a real bad recession here and I opened up then, but the store became successful around 1989, 90. We dealt in musical instruments and fiddle or violin repairs,” said Smith.

B and K Music has always sold European violins. There are pictures of some of the lovely European violins on their website: www.bandkmusic.biz.

“We probably keep over 100 European violins in stock. I have connections in Europe and we have them flown in. We do necessary repairs if needed and if not we just set them up for the type of music that is played in this part of the country,” said Smith. “Plus, McNeese has a classical program; Lake Charles and Lafayette have a symphony.”

This is a folk oriented musical instrument and repairs store, and they also keep a large selection of instruments which is not very common in most music stores.

B and K Music also has amps, pa systems, DJ equipment, mixers, and processors. They do installations for churches, nightclubs, and design audio equipment for courtrooms.

“I built my reputation on being a successful contest player and I think that is what made the store unique is we combined fiddle players and violin players. If you wanted to buy a classical violin you had to go to a classical violin shop and that would have been in a major city,” Smith said. “It used to be two completely different worlds: fiddle people and violin people.”

Smith’s success is what made the store unique and it’s a hard form of music to play, but there are young people today that are playing Texas style contest music.

“It’s evolved into a really extremely hard form of music and there are some very reputable judges with state competitions and national competitions and world competitions,” Smith said.
To get a better understanding of this type of music one can think of a hoedown, breakdown, rags, as in ragtime or waltzes and hornpipes, jigs, and reels.

“Those were all the forms of music and over the years they have become more polished and more parts have been added to them and the technique of playing them has gotten more precise,” Smith said.

Ken Smith and his father still actively play. Smith is a freelancing musician with different bands. Ken Smith is full of surprises. He nonchalantly and humbly mentioned he had been nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992.

“I was nominated – I had a recording with Rounder Records in 1992 and it was nominated for a Grammy. All of those things put together combined with good service made the store a success,” Smith said.

The Grammy nomination was a collaborative effort put together by a record company out of Boston, MA. They picked out three personalities from Louisiana. When Rounder Records called, they had Cajun artist D.L. Menard who plays guitar and sings and another artist, Eddie LeJeune who is a Cajun accordion player.

“They picked those two fellows and then they called me and picked me as a fiddle player and they said they would like us to get together and cut a record.

Rounder Records saw something in the three individuals and wanted to combine the three personalities. They called the group Le Trio Cadien, which, by the way, the CD of the same name is available on Amazon.com.

“They flew us to a recording studio in Boston and we stayed there for four days. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. They let us do some of our own producing and let us utilize some of our own ideas in putting this album together. They released it in 1991 and we were nominated in 1992 for the Grammy. That led to about 15 European tours that we did from around 1992 to 1995,” Smith said.

Smith plays gigs every weekend. In fact, they played at Festival Acadian. He plays gigs with some popular Cajun bands.

When asked about music lessons, Smith said that he did that for fifteen years at the store and had some very successful students.

When the store got extremely busy and they were rewarded contracts that they were bidding on like church and club installs, it was taking a lot of my time after work and that was the time he was giving lessons.

“I may do it again when I’m older and get tired of climbing through attics,” Smith said.
Some of Smith’s touring consisted of federally granted programs here in the United States that wanted Cajun music.

“I met a lot of people on my travels and I had offers from advanced students asking me for master lessons. So that is something I can look forward to in the future,” Smith said.

B and K Music is located at 320 N. 10th Street in Kinder. Phone: 337-738-2686.

Vee’s Donuts and Bakery: Take One Bite

By Chaney Ferguson
Editor, The Times of SWLA



On every purchase from Vee’s there is a sticker that says, “One Bite and We Gotcha!” What a true statement.

Vee McNabb is a natural when it comes to bakery delights. She began her donut experience many years ago at Nelson’s Donuts in Lake Charles.

“I was recently divorced and I had to get a job to support my children. I started out working counters,” said Vee.


When she took that position she had no clue the future in store for her. After many years of working her way up to management and making donuts at several different locations between Lake Charles and Sulphur, Vee finally ventured out on her own.

“When I first got started I had just donuts. Then I had some people from Texas come and ask me if I did kolaches. I told them no but I would love to learn how, but my salesman didn’t like the idea. He said those would never make it in Louisiana because that was Texas stuff.”

Vee learned how to make kolaches and many other breakfast foods that keep customers coming back for more.

Throughout the years, the business has expanded to more than just breakfast foods; they’ve ventured into making sandwiches. Vee attributes these changes to her wonderfully supportive family.

“I have four children and all of them know how to make donuts, but my boys didn’t want any part of it. They wanted to go out and get their own jobs so my daughter came in with me.”

The business has always involved Vee's family. Her daughter Catina, son-in-law, Lewis, and grandson, Jake, have been the most influential in how the business has changed.

Lewis previously worked for the Sulphur Police Department and he was primarily responsible for finding the property in which they currently reside.

Customers will also want to thank him for his decision to add sandwiches to the menu.
“When my grandson, Jake, was born, his mother went back to work so he would come here and I would put him in the infant seat. As he got older, he wanted to help so he would go out and wait on all the customers.”

Vee remembers how Jake never needed a registry to remember all the prices of everything. He recognized the customers, knew what they wanted and always knew the price.
“He stayed in the shop with us. Now he’s twenty-one and he and my daughter do most of the business.”

While Jake grew up working in the shop, he came up with many of his own ideas. Once again, the business started to branch out into new tasty treats.

“We integrated different things into the menu as my daughter and grandson came up with it. Jake is very talented and has all kind of ideas.”

Evidence of Jake's talent hangs on the wall in Vee's. An article entitled Jake's Cakes written by the American Press reveals his ability for creating cake masterpieces.

Vee says they used to make specialty cakes, but it became too much for them with all their other responsibilities.

“We’re now doing salads and sandwiches and we have a chef who makes our soups for us. We make brownies, cookies, and small individual cakes. We still do a chocolate-chocolate cake with strawberries, and Italian cream. cakes. Everything you can think of we do.”

The secret to the delicious food is Vee's homemade bread. She doesn't take any shortcuts in her baking.

“We wake up at 1 A.M. My daughter comes over and we brush our teeth, wash our face and put on clothes. By 1:20 we are at the shop. We make our doughs and then sit down and drink coffee. After that we don’t sit down until time to go home.”

While Vee goes through the process of patiently waiting for the donuts to rise and be prepared, her daughter, Catina, begins on the biscuits, croissants, and kolaches.

Vee and her family have their schedule worked out from years of practice. She used to work seven days a week, but now she allows herself Sunday and Monday off work.

“We go to bed around 7 P.M. and wake up at 1 A.M. My family is on the praise team. at Christian World and they go to practice on Tuesday nights and church on Wednesday nights so I stay home and let them sleep until 4 A.M.”

Vee's frequently gets large orders from the plants, car dealerships, or Sulphur High School. At these times the group maintains an all-hands-on-deck attitude and the little shop is buzzing at 1:20 in the morning.

The first rush hits every morning at 6 A.M. when the first wave of workers pulls in the drive-thru. Vee set up her shop with two drive-thru windows. On one side the driver pays and by the time they pull around to the other window their order is waiting for them.

Around 7 A.M. the school crowd arrives with parents and kids grabbing a homemade breakfast before their day begins.

“I've had moms tell me that their kids wouldn't eat the donut holes they buy from other places,” said Vee.

Catina says the secret her mom uses really is love because of how much time and patience Vee has while making the baked goods.

“I wouldn't want to sell anything I wouldn't eat myself,” said Vee.

One rule about working at Vee's is to never sell a donut that is in the case when there are still warm ones in the back. Customers need to get there early before they run out.

In addition to all the delicacies, Vee's also creates beautiful gift boxes for special occasions such as homecoming. They truly can do it all.

“If it wouldn’t have been for my daughter, son-in-law, and my grandson I wouldn’t be here with the business like I am now. The blessings I've received are because of all the help I have from them.”

For a sweet treat or an amazing sandwich, stop by Vee's Donuts and Bakery at 1290 E. Napolean St. in Sulphur or call 337-527-3177. Store hours are Tuesday-Saturday from
5 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Bodin Jewelers: Where Quality and Beauty Count

By Chaney Ferguson
Editor, The Times of SWLA





In 1955, Keith Bodin's father opened Bodin Jewelers as a watch repair shop.

“He just slowly started putting jewelry in showcases. When I came along, I learned how to work on watches, but I didn't like it. It was too tedious,” said Keith Bodin.

Bodin admits his father didn't give him much of a choice in the business. He had to work in the store, but after spending so much time around the jewelry he began to take an interest.
“I started repairing jewelry. I started with simple stuff like cleaning things and I learned how to do buffing on the buffer.”

After growing up in the business, Bodin proved to have a real talent for working on jewelry.
“I went to a school to learn jewelry repair and along the way learned how to work with customers. I got a gemologist degree in 1987 along with my graduate gemologist degree.”

Bodin started his gemologist education in 1978. It took a while since the degree is very involved.
“You learn about diamonds, colored stones, and identification. There are quite a few different things you have to look at and learn before you can get your gemologist degree.”

The first thing a gemologist student learns about is diamonds. Bodin studied the history, where they are mined, and then how to evaluate and grade them.

“You learn identification and how to identify all the colored stones and there are hundreds. You do different tests on them that tell what type of stone it is and then you get the variety. It is separating imitations and synthetics from natural stones.”

When his father retired in 1980, Bodin and his wife, Lena, took over the business.
Bodin's degrees set his business apart from other jewelry stores.

“If you look around, there are really not that many gemologists,” said Bodin.

Lena Bodin describes the difference as being a professional jeweler versus going into sales marketing.

An example can be found in the mall stores. The employees may not know what the stone is because they can only tell you what they have been told to tell the customers.

“Through the years we have seen mistakes made, like synthetic stones being sold as natural stones, not by these local stores, but sometimes customers will come in with something.”

“People will come in from cruise ships or buy stuff overseas and they were told it was one thing and it is not what they thought they purchased. If you don't have the right expertise then you can't tell the difference between what is real and what isn't real,” said Lena Bodin.

Being a gemologist is not the only thing that sets Bodin apart from the competition. He is also a bench-jeweler.

“That means I can work on the jewelry. If you come in with something wrong, I often know what is wrong. I don't have to bring the piece to someone else to fix. We do it here in the store. I don't know of another store in town where you can take a piece in and the owner can work on the jewelry.”

Bodin has a minimum of 25 years experience in every aspect of jewelry work. This Christmas will mark their 30-year anniversary for owning the store.

Over those years, Bodin and his wife have learned what their customers want. They go to market all over the states several times a year seeking out a variety of refined pieces.

“We handpick every piece of jewelry. If we don't make it, we select it. A lot of stores, bigger stores, have buyers that buy for all them. They are watching what their competition is buying and so they kind of copy what they buy. We don't look at anyone else's inventory. We have our own taste and we pick out stuff that we think is pretty and most people like what they see when they come in here,” said Bodin.

When they go to market they look for pieces that will be beautiful for years to come.
Customers have come to rely on Bodin and the style he carries. He sees second and third generations coming in to look for important pieces.

“I had one customer with an anniversary coming up, but we were going out of town. When he asked his wife if she wanted him to go somewhere else the wife told him to wait until we got back in town. She didn't want a piece from somewhere else.”

Value and the happiness of the customer are the two most important things to Bodin Jewelers. They want the customer to be satisfied with a piece that will be beautiful for many years, not a trendy piece that will be out of style after only two years.

When men come in the store looking for a gift, the Bodins go through a series of questions to help them get a feeling about what the woman prefers.

“We ask as delicately as possible, how big are her hands? How big are her arms? Are her fingers long? What are her tastes as far as what is she wearing now? Is it thin bands? Wide bands? Does she like heavy or dainty? What kind of clothing,” said Bodin.

According to Bodin, there are a lot of pieces that will work on everybody. Bodin will also do custom work. If there is a stone that needs to be reset then they will sit down and discuss a design.

“Sometimes people ask ‘what if my wife doesn't like this.’ I say no problem. Bring her in and if I don't have it in a case we will make it or order it. We will get it so she is not stuck with whatever he bought, but 99% of the time they like what they get.”

Bodin says he wants to give his customers enough information so they can make an informed decision on what they are buying. As the holidays approach, keep Bodin Jewelers in mind for your next purchase. You won't be sorry.

Bodin Jewelers is located at 3133 Ernest St. For more information call 494-0999.

Lanier Plumbing: 24 Hour Friendly Service

By Chaney Ferguson






In 1959, Lynn Lanier started Lanier Plumbing. Back then it was a company based out of his house with his wife Laverne “Blondie” Lanier working as a secretary. Today, Lynn’s son, Rick, is the owner.

“I am a second generation contractor. I started doing plumbing work when I was 10 years old, working with my father every summer,” said Rick.

Rick has many memories from working all those summers with his dad, but one of the most vivid is the memory of his first paycheck.

“My first paycheck was $15 a week. I remember walking up to the teller at the Calcasieu Marine Bank at Prien and Ryan. I could barely see over the top of the counter. I signed my check and asked the teller to give me 15 ones. I wanted to have a nice roll of money,” Rick laughs.

In 1971, after graduating from LaGrange High School, Rick immediately went to work in the plumbing business.

“Mom would take the calls and set up where we went for the day. Me and dad would leave in the morning and meet our guys at a local supply house and then order material and leave from there. We went our different ways depending on what we had to do. It is totally different now.”
Four years after graduation, Rick took over the family business.

“I took over in about ‘75. My father was semi-retired and played out at the farm,” said Lanier.
Lynn Lanier passed away in 1979. After his father’s passing Rick purchased the property at 2201 Moss Street.

The business moved from operating out of his parent’s farmhouse into the city.
“It gave my mother a place to get up and go to work every day. She had the opportunity to meet and greet a lot of the customers she had spoken with on the phone, but she had never seen their face.”

Rick Lanier, Owner
Rick said it was good for his mother to work in the office and meet those she only had a phone relationship with for all those years.

“She worked here for probably 12-15 years and then retired. She traveled and had a good time afterwards.”

The company has changed so much since the early days, but Rick still starts every day by sharing coffee with his mom before heading to the office.

Rick’s father focused on the construction end of the plumbing business. Rick said they mainly worked on new homes.

Since Rick has taken over the business the focus has been on the service aspect.
“I really like the service business. There is a lot of gratification in taking care of people’s problems. When they call they are in a bind and they need help and this allows us to take care of their problems quickly and in the most cost effective way,” said Lanier.

About 17 years ago, Lanier Plumbing did a 180-degree turn to focus mainly on service. The construction market in the 80s wasn’t bringing a lot of business.

“We started pursuing the service end. We’ve bought three companies since then. The most recent purchase was Henning Plumbing and Piping. We bought them out a couple of years ago. Another one, 10-12 years ago, was Coastal Plumbing. The owner was leaving town so I picked up his assets and his customer base. That is basically what it is all about is broadening your customer base.”

Service is the mainstay for Lanier Plumbing, but they still do some construction.
“The last company I bought was doing 50% service and 50% new construction right after Hurricane Rita.

So we got back in the market on the new construction side, but it is all commercial construction. We do very little residential; what we do is mainly remodel or additions.”

Lanier said the company prides themselves on service. It is the company’s main passion.
“We are a 24-hour emergency service.

One thing we strive to do is make our customers feel more comfortable dealing with us. We don’t use an answering service in our company. When you call Lanier Plumbing, no matter what time or what day, you talk to an employee, either the office manager or the dispatcher.”

The system is set up so previous customers will more than likely speak with someone who they already have a relationship with.

“This is so they know who you are and they help you work through that emergency,” said Lanier. “We do have one man on emergency call and one man on backup just in case the phone goes crazy.”

Lanier said the company does its best to stay on top of cutting edge technology in order to make things easier for the customer.

“We have a website that you can visit where you can actually schedule an appointment online and it comes to us by email,” said Lanier.

Plumbing problems are always an inconvenience, but Lanier Plumbing offers alternatives that will hopefully alleviate some of the client’s stress.

“We have camera systems that go in and find broken sewer lines. Either outside the building or under slabs. We can locate exactly where the problem is, and either break concrete to make the repair if necessary and it’s a small repair.

We can tunnel underneath houses or commercial buildings and do the repairs so we never put you out of business,” said Lanier. The only way you will know we were there is the big pile of dirt sitting outside for a few days, jokes Lanier.

In the past year the company purchased a pipe bursting system that allows workers to change sewer lines.

“It actually allows us to install a new sewer line through the old sewer lines. We can build sewer lines from the house to the street’s city sewer without digging up your yard. Or if it is in a parking lot situation we can have an entrance hole where we dig and it cuts down on the removal of concrete and landscaped yard.”

Lanier said they can make pools up to 110 feet long without disturbing anything but the entry and exit points, which are roughly a 3 by 5 feet hole in the ground. This equipment allows them to minimize the damage to the landscaping or concrete.

The camera systems and pipe bursting sets the company apart. All employees are licensed master plumbers that are tested through the state.

Lanier has served on state and city plumbing boards for over a dozen years.
“I kept involved because the only way you can take care of your industry is to be involved in the political side of it.”

Lanier Plumbing has all the qualifications, but what sets this company apart is Rick Lanier’s love for his job.

“This is the only job I have ever had. I really enjoy it. It is challenging but you surround yourself with good people and it turns a job into fun. That is basically how I operate.”

For more information or for help with a plumbing emergency call (337) 436-3502 or visit their website at www.lanierplumbinginc.com.

Lyon’s Music Company: Music With A Personal Touch

By Chaney Ferguson
Editor, The Times of SWLA





When Sam Lyons worked for Gulf State Utilities in the ‘70s, he decided to pursue his passion on the side. He started teaching guitar lessons.
“As a young boy I took piano lessons, and when I was in my late teens I started playing the guitar,” said Lyons.

Using a small portable building as a workspace, Lyon’s decided to branch out and open his own store.

In 1975, Lyons and his wife, Pat, began to sell guitars.

“We had maybe 4 to 6 guitars on the wall when we first started.”

At the time there were many guitars out there for people to purchase. Students would come for lessons with an inexpensive guitar that wouldn’t stay tuned. As a result they couldn’t learn as well.

“We wanted to put something in their hands they could actually learn on; something that would stay in tune. There are a lot of guitars that have just strings on it, but as far as trying to learn on it you will not be successful,” said Lyons.

When Lyon’s Music opened they were selling beginners guitars for around$35/$45.
“They were cheaper then, but now you can buy a guitar anywhere, even in the department stores.”

Lyons says that guitars in department stores are actually completely different than the ones found in music stores.

Sam & Pat Lyons, Owners
“The manufacturer actually makes something for them to sell, but it’s not the same quality. Then the same company will make better guitars that sell in music stores. It’s a different grade guitar altogether,” said Lyons.

After displaying about a half a dozen student guitars, the business began to expand.
The store is now the place to buy guitars, electric guitars, amplifiers, and drums.
“Pretty much everything but keyboards. We never really sold keyboards,” said Lyons.

Over the years, Lyons started carrying school band instruments.

“The band directors will do their fitting and test their students to see what they play best and then tell them what they play. Then they will let them shop for whatever they’re looking for. We sell all the instruments that the band uses. Saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, and trombone. And percussion and bells,” said Lyons.

“We take time with our customers and don’t try to rush anything. We work with them. If someone is buying a horn, we take the time to tell them how to clean it and take care of it so they aren’t always bringing it in for repairs,” said Pat Lyons.

If this is a student’s first time to play a horn, Lyons says, it is important to go over the basics with them when they are purchasing the instrument. They’re shown what to do and what not to do, to keep the instrument in good condition.

In his younger years, when Lyons was first getting started with the guitar, he participated in a few bands.

“Like all young guys we would play in a few different bands over the years. Nothing famous.”

The band consisted of Lyons and one of his best friends with other members coming and going.
“We would play rock and roll and country at different local venues. We did street dances, several things for the city of Sulphur, and we would play at the roller rink on some weekends,“ said Lyons.

When Rob Robin was still a DJ, the group played for him a few times at the roller rink in Lake Charles.

“We were always changing members and changing the name of the band.”

Some of Lyons’ musical inspirations were The Beatles, Eric Clapton and Chet Atkins.
“The Beatles were one of the groups I really listened to because they were not only great singers, but they were great musicians. Chet Atkins could pretty much do anything he wanted to on a guitar.”

When Lyons married at 21, he stopped playing in the band, but he never stopped playing the guitar.

“I play guitar for myself and when my wife and her family get together, some of her brothers play as well. Of course I will play in the store when customers come in just to show them how the guitar works, especially with the electric guitars. I show them how the knobs work,” said Lyons.
Lyons’ son, Jason, grew up in the store and even though he never took to playing, he has a knack for repairs.

“My son does repairs on the guitars and band instruments. He does anything string-wise. Banjos, mandolins, and violins. He can repair just about anything.”

The whole family is involved at Lyons Music Company, and their mission is to satisfy the customer.

“We will bend over backward to satisfy and I think that is lost in many stores, but the owners aren’t up front working anymore.”

Stop by Lyons Music Company where you can have all your questions answered with a personal touch.

Located at 337 Beglis Pkwy in Sulphur. For information call, 337-625-7915 or drop by. Store Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-2pm.

Flooring & Design Center, Inc.

By Chaney Ferguson
Editor, The Times of SWLA





Fifteen years ago Gisela Ryland moved all of her furniture out of her house and created a beautiful showroom full of her treasures.

“Gisela worked for a design company in New Orleans and then opened a design firm in Alexandria. When I married her son and we had the first grandbaby, she closed the design shop in Alexandria and moved here and opened one,” said Stacey St. Amant, owner of Flooring & Design Center, Inc.

“She came from Germany when she was 18 and went to school in New Orleans. When I met her in ’78 or ’79, she was doing kitchen cabinet design and she and my mother worked together,” said St. Amant.

St. Amant worked with her mother-in-law in the design business. The showroom was full of antiques, crystal, and Persian rugs.

“She was there for five years and then she started doing a lot of big commercial jobs. We did about four of the hotels here in Sulphur, the Lake Charles airport, and the federal courthouse,” said St. Amant.

The two women stayed in the small building on Beglis Parkway for five years before moving to their current location at 1401 Cypress Street, in Sulphur.

St. Amant said that with each new job the business took a natural turn in the direction of flooring.
“Slowly we began to fill the showroom. As we took on more projects, everything started to involve flooring so we noticed how the flooring aspect began to encompass the rest of all the things we were doing,” said St. Amant.

After ten years of being in the same building, St. Amant and her husband have taken over the flooring end of things.

“We have been involved in flooring for 12 years. Gisela still does the design, but her end is a separate business,” said St. Amant.

Cathy Morton joined the team a couple of months ago and is excited to work with her best friend, Stacy.

“Our husbands install together and that’s how we met. We worked together at a flooring store in Moss Bluff,” said Morton.

The two women are trying to redefine what the business is known for. Many in the Sulphur area still believe it is a high-end design business, but St. Amant and Morton want to set the record straight.

“If you are building a $2 million dollar home or if you need carpet in your camper, we can handle it,” said Morton.

“We are trying to send the message that we still do design, but that is not the forefront of what this business is all about. It hasn’t been for a long time,” said St. Amant.

The two shared people’s reactions when they walk into the store for the first time. They believe many people are surprised at the large selection of flooring they actually have.

“We have a large selection of hardwood, laminate, ceramic and natural stone,” said St. Amant.
It is clear from their enthusiasm and their background experience that they love what they do. The business may be more flooring than design, but the two women love to assist in design decisions without additional cost.

“When people come in, we try to get a feel for what they are looking for. If they are building a house they lay out their blueprints and we get a feel for what they see in each room,” said Morton.

“I have a customer, a single man, that came in and he said he wanted wood almost everywhere. So he brings his plans and he tells me where he wants the wood. We picked out countertops, carpet, slate, kitchen granite, and all the paint colors,” said St. Amant.

“He doesn’t pay a design fee. He is just paying for the floors,” said Morton.
St. Amant and Morton are more than happy to help with design preferences and they know how to work with a budget.

Builders will come to the women and give specifics on what is needed, but they also include the budget they are working with.

“We are hard to beat price-wise,” said Morton.

“We still have the $12 square foot tile, but we also have a 99 cent square foot tile. If we have to come down, we can,” said St. Amant.

One of the perks of choosing Flooring & Design Center, Inc. is that it is basically a one-stop shopping experience.

The women have enough experience to know what they are talking about and they enjoy their work.

Morton says they are the ones that go out and measure the houses, and they also get an idea of the layout and design of the house by being there.

If the house is being built and the customer is making paint sample choices and other decisions the women will create a list for them.

“We will send them home with a typed list, and they can take it to their builder or we can deal with the builders ourselves. I don’t mind doing it because I’m just happy to have that man’s business,” said St. Amant.

Starting in the fall St. Amant and Morton are signing up for online classes.

“We want to be CID certified in interior decorating. We want our customers to know that something looks good because we have had the training and not just because we think it does,” said Morton.

“We use Gisela as a resource for design questions. She is here so we ask her advice about what works and why,” said St. Amant.

With so many resources at their fingertips, the women are hard to beat when considering their experience, talent and enthusiasm.

Whether it is flooring needs or design assistance, Flooring & Design Center, Inc. is the place to visit. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the project is with St. Amant and Morton helping, all creative needs will be met.

For more information visit Flooring & Design Center, Inc. at 1401 Cypress Street in Sulphur, or call (337) 528-1077.