Empire Today, or also known quite well as Empire Carpet, is one of the most recognized home improvement brands in the United States. Empire Today was founded in 1959 in the Chicago area as a next day flooring and carpeting company which specializes in in-home sales and demonstrations, then sends out their installation crew the next day to install : swift, efficient and with competitive pricing.
Empire Today is also incredibly well known for their commericals and jingle. The tune “588-2300 … Empire!” has been on the lips of myself, kids, friends and even the family pets for years. If anything, the Empire Jingle, along with their impeccable service record, has grown the company into what it has become today; the #1 Specialty Flooring Retailer in the U.S. and one of the Nation’s Top 200 Brand Names.
Empire Today Brand
In fact, according to AdAge, the Empire Today brand is more popular than Office Depot, Dunkin’ Donuts, H&R Block, Intel, and PlayStation.
As an example, a simple search on YouTube for the Empire Today company name serves not only Empire Today commercials but also many happy customers and YouTube users uploading videos of the Empire Today song and even kids dancing to the jingle.
Empire Carpet Man
Besides the jingle, Empire Carpet is also know for the Empire Man, who’s story is available via the Wikipedia Empire Today entry :
The Empire Man was introduced in 1977 as a live action character and later adapted into a popular animated persona that has grown to become a cultural icon. The Empire Man has been seen internationally in commercials and other media, has spawned a line of collectible bobblehead dolls, is featured each year in the annual McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade , and inspired the Chicago Cubs to declare an official “Empire Day” at Wrigley Field in 2007.
The Empire Man was originally portrayed on television by Lynn Hauldren, who continues to provide the voice of the animated character
Empire Today Commercials
Here are some commercials featuring the famous Empire Man of Empire Carpet and Empire Today:
And here’s a version of an Empire Today Window Treatments commercial in Spanish :
So, Empire Today is famous for not only its specialty flooring prices, but also next day installation, quality products, in-home demonstrations, in-home sales and friendly service, but also branding, commercials and creating a strong character.
Whether a national business or a contractor serving the local community, there is much to be learned from the Empire Today story.
Flooring can make a dramatic difference in the appearance of your home. It will also contribute to the resale value, and it enhances the ambiance of a home. There are a great many choices to consider when deciding on the flooring for your home. Let’s take a look at ten of the most popular flooring styles from which to choose for your home.
1. Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood floors are one of the staples within the flooring industry. Because of the natural beauty and durability of solid hardwood floors, they have been around for centuries. Solid wood floors are a timeless investment that can produce a lifetime of beauty and add value to the home. Wood floors come in Maple, Pecan, Beech, Cherry, Oak, Pine, Birch, Walnut, Hickory and more.
2. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring is one of the newcomers in the flooring industry. Bamboo is more environmentally friendly than hardwood floors, and it is actually not wood – it is a grass. Bamboo is very durable, elegant and versatile. The natural variations of color that is unique to bamboo come from carbonization and are usually a honey brown color or light tan.
3. Laminate Flooring
Laminate floors are the fastest growing choice in flooring in America today. The laminate flooring received its fame from Europe and now it is increasingly popular here in the United States. Laminate floors are cheaper than hardwood and they are easy to maintain. The laminate flooring is virtually resistant to burns, scratches, chipping and is great for high traffic areas. Continue reading →
Once you have experienced the efficiency of a corn pellet stove, you will never go back to other home heating systems. Corn pellet stoves are an economical and sophisticated way to heat your home, without worries of high heating bills. They are environmentally friendly and cost effective.
Growing Popularity of Corn Pellet Stoves
Corn is one of the most inexpensive fuels today, and the use of corn pellet stoves have doubled since last year. Even before this burst of popularity, an estimated 65,000 corn pellet stoves were used in the United States in 2005. Cheaper than propane, oil and natural gas, there are waiting lists with corn stove makers due to the rapid rise in popularity.
Corn pellet stoves and wood pellet stoves look similar on the outside and both come in a variety of styles, finishes and sizes. Glass front windows are standard with both types of stove. They can both be vented to the outside, therefore there is no need for a chimney. Smoke is not trapped inside the house because the draft blower creates a vacuum and draws the combustion air through the pellets and smoke gets forced outside through the vents.
How Corn Pellet Stoves Work
Pellet stoves are run on tiny pellets of the same consistency and size and are fed automatically into the stove. Differing from wood stoves, corn pellet stoves produce convective heat and not radiant. This is a benefit to homes with children, because they do not get extremely hot to touch.
You simply pour the corn pellets into the holding bin, which is called a hopper, located at either the top or the bottom. The hopper usually holds about 35 - 100 pounds, depending on the size and burn rate of the corn pellet stove you are using. If it is a large hopper, it will burn longer because of the amount of corn pellets that fit into it. Continue reading →
A big part of home improvement is about repairs. When something is not working correctly it is important to get it fixed. Additionally, by fixing a problem as soon as possible, you will
prevent further damage.
I have identified two such areas: Basement Waterproofing and Septic Tanks issues. These two issues can soon become huge problems which can easily compound into major expenses for you.
We’re getting into the coldest days of the year now, and a lot of homeowners are being faced with an important decision: my 20 year old furnace is dead, what kind of furnace should I buy? Should I get the cheaper model or the more expensive one that has the higher efficiency rating? Is two stage operation or a variable speed fan worth the extra cost?
A good place to start is to figure out your current heating costs. If you use natural gas, what other natural gas appliances do you have? If you’re only other natural gas appliance is a hot water tank, this will typically consume $200-$300 in gas every year. A gas stove will typically consume less than $50 in gas a year. The rest should be used by your furnace.
Another method to determine the energy costs of your heating is ask for your month by month energy costs for the last year (or more) from your utility company. The difference between your gas costs in the winter and the summer provides a good estimate of your heating costs. Continue reading →
Corn is one of the most inexpensive fuels today, and the use of corn pellet stoves have doubled since last year. Even before this burst of popularity, an estimated 65,000 corn pellet stoves were used in the United States in 2005. Cheaper than propane, oil and natural gas, there are waiting lists with corn stove makers due to the rapid rise in popularity.