In
Stock and In Style at Incredibly
Low Prices
Tile Outlets of America
came to Fort Myers
almost 4 years ago with a simple strategy: Search
the world for the best values in tile and stone,
display the product in a spacious warehouse
environment, make it available to the public on a
factory-direct basis, and provide exceptional customer
service has proven to be a winning formula in the
company’s Fort Myers location.
From day one, customers have agreed. For 3 years
running, a readership survey of The News-Press has
recognized Tile Outlets of America as the best place to
buy tile in Southwest Florida.
The 40,000-square-foot store is not a showroom with
samples that generate orders that take weeks to fill. At
Tile Outlets of America, if you see it and like it, bring it
home that day. Directly imported product is stacked on
pallets and ready for installation in the areas most
high-end homes. Because of the low-frills presentation in
a super-store setting, prices are low.
“Everything is in stock, and this is a cash-and-carry
warehouse environment,” says Buddy Powell, manager. “People
that have bought tile in the past are absolutely happy with that one
feature, because with Tile Outlets
of America you are not looking at weeks of waiting with
the chance that the product will not be the same as
what you first saw. It doesn’t get any more direct than
when you buy it from us.”
Store associates and managers have been certified as
Ceramic Tile Specialists, a credential earned through the
Ceramic Tile Institute of America, and are well-versed
and knowledgeable in product and installation
requirements. Inventory includes stone such as granite,
travertine, marble and slate, porcelain and ceramic tile,
and travertine and glass sinks. Decorative pieces such
as medallions and mosaics are in vogue and in stock.
Tools, tile-setting materials and related accessories are
also in supply.
Tile Outlets of America caters to the homeowner,
whether it’s the buy-it-yourselfer who will have
someone else install the tile for her or the
do-it-yourselfer who plans to complete the installation
himself. Weekend tile clinics are designed to walk even
the most inexperienced novice through the basics of tile
installation. Another value-added feature is the store’s
training area with displays that show exactly how to
install tile under various conditions. At 12-feet wide, store aisles are spacious
enough to lay out tile designs
and medallions, making visualizing the final result that
much easier.
Tile and stone are imported from as far as Italy, Spain,
China, Turkey, Indonesia, India and Brazil. Although the
prospect of importing from a remote corner of the
world comes with a price tag, buying direct is efficient. “We buy direct
so we are able to keep out the middle
man,” says Powell. “We then operate in a no-frills
manner and control costs as tightly as possible to
provide the customer with the absolute best value.”
Outdoor living is synonymous with Southwest Florida.
While melding interiors with alluring poolside vistas is a
crucial design technique that does not necessitate the
same surface in both spaces, the natural and man-made
possibilities are almost limitless.
“Buying tile for an entire home can be an intimidating
process, and we walk you through every step,” says
Powell.“Designers are welcome to bring in blueprints and we’ll do
an entire take off from tile to trim pieces,
medallions and inserts.We’ve always found that while
people want the selection, they are also looking for
professionals with the ability to design. At Tile Outlets
of America, we deliver both.”
TILE OUTLETS OF AMERICA
13460 Daniels Commerce Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33912
239 768-1517
Toll Free: 866 768-1517
www.toa.us
Written by Casey McCabe
