Hardwood Floors April/May 2025

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NOTEWORTHY IN NC

Stop by the Whitewater Center, Nascar Hall of Fame, Uwharrie National Forest, and LOBA-WAKOL headquarters.

Ashley Carter

For more than 30 years, Knight Hardwood Flooring Inc. has been a hardwood flooring distributor in the Charlotte market. The company began as a part-time side hustle when founder Brad Knight, a pharmacist by trade, saw a business opportunity. He began with a truck and trailer, making trips up and down the Appalachian Mountains to source a few pallets of wood at a time. Since 2¼” red oak select was the only SKU sold then, he was able to operate out of a storage unit. As the business grew, Knight resigned from being a pharmacist, hired employees, and moved the business into a warehouse and office space in 1994. While headquartered Knight Hardwood Flooring Inc. CHARLOTTE Hannah Knight Coogan says Knight Hardwood Flooring has built its reputation on excellent customer service and the ability to provide top notch industry expertise. If you are interested in seeing a signature of Old Charlotte, Coogan notes that 11/2” hardwood flooring was commonly used during the early 1900s. “Charlotte is growing and changing so rapidly, buildings are being raised and rebuilt, but when you step inside an older home and see 11/2” flooring, you know it holds Charlotte’s history,” she explains. “Caswell Station is a great locally owned restaurant that operates out of an up-fitted older Charlotte home; venture to the back rooms to see their 11/2” floors.” Other restaurants Coogan suggests seeing with your hardwood-minded eyes are Albertine and Supperland. They also invite everyone to meet the Knight Hardwood team at NWFA Expo. We recommend a trip to the Billy Graham Library while you are in Charlotte, and a drive along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway if you find yourself venturing up to the Appalachian mountains. Hannah Knight Coogan NOTEWORTHY IN NC in Indian Trail, the company has locations in Charlotte and Raleigh.

Loba-Wakol LLC WADESBORO BOOTH 419

Though Loba and Wakol’s origins are in Germany, the companies’ joint venture has called North Carolina home since 2008. An interesting note is that Loba began as a manufacturer of candles and ski wax, while Wakol started by manufacturing shoe adhesives. Today, they are known in the wood flooring industry for WAKOL MS 260 and LOBA EasyFinish, among other products. Sitting on a 40-acre campus just outside of Charlotte in Wadesboro, Loba-Wakol North America employs around 50 team members. In 2024, Governor Roy Cooper presented Loba-Wakol with the “North Carolina’s Outstanding Family Friendly Employer” award. Ashley Carter, COO of Loba-Wakol LLC, says the company operates on a motto of “Great People, Great Products, and Great Partners.” Loba-Wakol expands this into the community by supporting charitable causes and events with the Anson Chamber of Commerce, Anson Economic Development, Anson County Partnership for Children, South Piedmont Community College, Various Youth Business Programs, and the local Angel Tree. Carter says the company also welcomes local school groups for tours, student internship opportunities, and has partnered with the NCWorks Career Center in Anson County. Loba-Wakol will showcase adhesives, finishes, and coloration systems at the NWFA Expo. “As always, we are excited to spend quality time with customers discussing new products and innovations,” says Carter.

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