'We just wanted to help people'

MILTON — Milton's long standing flooring company, Howard Young Flooring, was recently recognized for their strong ethical practices and excellent customer services by the Better Business Bureau when they were awarded the The Torch Award for Ethics.

“These recipients exemplify what your BBB stands for: trust, integrity, performance and ethics,” said Norman Wright, president and CEO of BBB serving Northwest Florida.

Mary Young, part owner of Howard Young Flooring, said that she and her husband started the business 16 years ago with the determination that customer service would be their primary goal.

"We just wanted to help people," Young said. "We knew that they only way that we could do that and do it the way we wanted to was to be in control of the business."

She said the business began when she was driving down Avalon Boulevard and saw a small building. Since that time they have been in two other locations, moving into their current location at 4333 Avalon Boulevard a year ago.  A few things, Young said, have always been consistent though, including always having their business on Avalon Boulevard.

"That's our road," she said. "It's been a good road."

Besides remaining on Avalon, Young said their commitment to their customers and their services have always remained the same. Their store does all types of flooring, from carpeting to tiles, she said. Young said people know them best for their installation services, servicing homes as far as Okaloosa and Baldwin counties. Her husband, Howard, is one of the few master certified installers in the area, and is well regarded in the community, Young said.

"We care about people, we care about the community," Young said. "We care about the impression we are leaving."

She said earning the ethics award was a first-time experience for them and was and exciting honor.

"It's very humbling." she said.

For the future, Young said they plan to continue the ethical customer service that earned them the award and earned them their reputation in the community.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'We just wanted to help people'