Stewart’s Tile & Carpet Center in Mathews reached a milestone in May—its 50th year in business—but celebrations weren’t in order because the beloved founder of the family-owned business, Richard Lee Stewart, passed away that month.
Although their hearts are still heavy, the family and employees want to express their gratitude to the community for all the support the business has received over the years, so they’re welcoming the public to a 50th anniversary reception.
That reception will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the business located at 10571 Buckley Hall Road.
Lunch will be served to all who drop by, with chicken, barbecue, baked beans, coleslaw, and cake on the menu. A variety of door prizes will be given out to lucky winners, including gift certificates to other local businesses.
What Stewart’s offers
Stewart’s Tile and Carpet offers sales and installation of ceramic and vinyl tile, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, window treatments, and hardwood floors. The business not only sells and installs hardwood floors, but refinishes them, as well, and it specializes in the Schluter Shower System when installing ceramic tile.
“Everything but wallpaper,” said Richard Franklin Stewart, who began going to job sites along with his father, Richard Lee, at the tender age of five, and became a full-fledged member of the family business right out of high school.
History of the business
Stewart’s Tile and Carpet opened in May 1971 on Main Street, in the shop adjacent to Twigg Motor Company, where Back in Time is now located. Richard Lee had been working at the Navy Mine Depot in Yorktown, said his wife, Betsy Ann, but was installing ceramic and vinyl tile and carpeting on the side for Beauregard Turner, who worked for Sears, Roebuck. Then Turner had an accident and told Richard Lee the business was his, she said, and he decided to quit the Navy Mine and open a shop.
Back in the early days, times were hard, said Betsy Ann, adding, “You start with nothing.”
But Richard Lee had the skills to provide all of the services himself, and he kept at it, working nonstop.
“He was meticulous about doing the work,” she said. “He was good with his hands, and he loved designing. He was good at decorating—had a good eye for color. He was also good at repairing things.”
After the first five years, the business began to flourish. Along the way, Richard Lee hired his first two helpers, Bobby Hipple and James Ray. And of course, Richard Franklin was by his side whenever possible.
Betsy Ann said she worked in the store, helping people pick out products for their homes, but Richard Lee even handled the bookwork “and everything.”
When Richard Franklin graduated from high school in 1985, he jumped right into the business, and hasn’t stopped since.
“And he’s perfect,” said Betsy Ann. “He does it just like his dad. Top of the line.”
Faye Respress, who has been with Stewart’s for 21 years, said Richard Franklin is “a perfectionist” who “leaves nothing undone.”
In 2010, Stewart’s moved from the Main Street location to its current spot on Buckley Hall Road, not far from the county’s court complex, on the other side of the street. The building formerly housed an auto parts store, and Richard Franklin and his dad worked tirelessly to convert it into a showroom.
“We stripped everything out,” said Richard Franklin. “Installed new heating, lighting, leveled the floors. They were major renovations.”
He continues to offer all the same services, as well as a wide variety of products to choose from, and Stewart’s now has nine employees who work full-time and one who works part-time.
Respress summed up the experience of Stewart’s Tile & Carpet employees, saying, “I could not work for any better man or any better family. They are wonderful to me. I am not blood family, but we are all family.”