The National Floorcovering Alliance is celebrating 30 years. It’s quite a milestone for a group of independent flooring retailers who have voluntarily come together as leaders in their individual marketplaces.

In keeping with the original vision of the group, new members still are required to be a leader in their particular markets with sales of $10,000,000 or more and must be recognized by both manufacturers and other dealers as a company with a track record of high integrity. Additionally, any new prospective NFA member must have 100% approval for inclusion in the group from every existing member. This has provided a fertile ground for the second main purpose of the group—the sharing of ideas and best practices. The non-competition structure between members allows all members to freely speak, share and develop new progressive ideas that ultimately benefit the group as a whole.

In this month’s issue, we’re exploring The Making of NFA: Watershed Moments in Flooring, as told by the retailers who lived them. In this multimedia feature, our editors share retailer insights of these major milestones via video, podcasts and articles. These retailers have been through a lot of ups and downs together. Recessions, inflation, supply chain issues, new technologies, the growth of digital media—not to mention the pandemic.

What is less easy to share in these pages is the true friendships developed among members of the group. We at Floor Trends are grateful for the opportunity to be flies on the wall at NFA events over the years, to be students of their candid conversations, learning about what’s in the minds and hearts of these leading dealers, and where our flooring industry is headed.