The Story Behind Toowoomba Floorworld, Store of the Year for 2025!

It’s no secret that we take pride in our stores. So, at our recent conference, when Katie and Josh from Toowoomba Floorworld managed to snag the National Store of the Year award, we just had to sit down and talk about their journey.

Early Days

Josh and I have been with Floorworld since 2016, and even our joining was a bit of a story. Josh had been on the tools since being a 14-year-old apprentice. He hated school and was looking for a way out, so he finished year 12 and immediately went to work.

Over the course of the next decade, he, like many other installers, came to the realisation that he couldn’t be on the tools forever.  It was then that we decided it was time to take the next step and leverage all the years of relationships and connections that he had made over the years. 

It was a bit of a challenge as the Toowoomba area was well represented with all the major franchises. At that time, Floorworld did not have a store in Queensland.

Josh made a call to Bob Crotty (then CEO), who was hesitant to open a new store in Queensland due to new lines of logistics and servicing that would need to be organised.  

“this store and everything within it is our baby in a way, our sole focus. 7 days a week, it’s our life.”

However, we persisted; it was a long and hard road where we met with some of the key members, who all helped immensely to sort out everything in the beginning, even if we did have to push a little.

Given our current situation, I couldn’t be happier with the decision and persistence we demonstrated in those early days.

The Power of People and Community in Toowoomba Floorworld

One of the key strengths of the store and something I genuinely believe allowed us to win store of the year was our staff and working relationships. We are a small team that constantly punches above our weight, always priding ourselves on trust and fostering a family atmosphere within the store.

Josh and I don’t have any children, so this store and everything within it is our baby in a way, our sole focus. 7 days a week, it’s our life.

Our success came from constantly taking educated gambles here and there about trying new things like expanding into ceramics or investing in a dedicated showroom warehouse while always making sure that we could do good by our customers.

Our core team has been together for more than six years, and each and every day, I am grateful for all the fantastic support and work that they do.

Alongside that, we focused on connecting with the local community by getting involved in local school sport sponsorships, touch football clubs, and even supporting the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation. Toowoomba is our home and the source of our success, so when we can, we try to embrace that as a core of who we are.

Over the years, I genuinely believe that it was that dedication to the team and community that ultimately landed us the award in the end.

Challenges and the Future

Business is never without its challenges, we are always aware of that, even from the early days, when making the jump from installers to retailers.

We were part of building the foundation for a brand-new logistical and supply network for Floorworld as the first store in Queensland, constantly overcoming new challenges and working closely with the team at head office to grow.

The world was constantly changing, with events like COVID, and it really puts everything you learn to the test, requiring you to continually adapt and keep the business running in the face of it all.

Even the day-to-day challenges of meeting increasing customer expectations and finding solutions when things don’t go as planned are all part of who we are and where we are now.

It’s why I am so proud of the team and the fantastic work they do. Through everything, thick and thin, we all remain strong and keep pushing through it all.