Carpet One is a co-op of over 800 independently-owned flooring stores. Our 4 locations in Carroll, Ames, Spirit Lake, and Urbandale are owned and operated by the Bierl family from Carroll, Iowa. We’re a 3rd generation company that began with one man in a small town. Here’s our story…
In 1954, company founder Harold Bierl opened Bierl Supply Company in his hometown of Carroll. The store initially focused on hardware and paint, and primarily operated as a supplier to his other business, Bierl Construction.
The store quickly found its niche and by the early 1960s the paint and hardware were gone and the focus was solely on flooring, mainly carpet. It was around this time the store began using the name “Bierl’s Store of Floors.”
In the late 60’s, Harold Bierl began developing plans for a new retail center, Parkway Plaza, on Highway 30, just east of Carroll’s downtown. In 1968, “Bierl’s Furniture & Carpet” became the plaza’s first store, moving into the space currently occupied by the New Hope Village Bargain Shop. The business thrived and continued to grow, and in 1982 expanded into the neighboring building to the west – our current location – and added a new warehouse.
By the 1990’s the company had been servicing a growing number of customers outside of the immediate Carroll area. In 1991, they took a big step and opened a second location in Ames, Iowa. Originally located at 404 East Lincoln Way, the Ames store was later moved to 2421 North Grand, adjacent to the mall.
In 1995, “Bierl’s Carpet & Furniture” joined the Carpet One co-op of over 800 independently owned flooring stores, becoming “Bierl Carpet One.” The furniture side of the business, which had been operating out of the Carroll store’s original Parkway Plaza building, was phased-out. That building became a grocery store and today is the home of the New Hope Village Bargain Shop.
The early 2000s was a time of significant growth. For years, the Bierl family had spent summer vacations at lake Okoboji, near the Minnesota border. Harold Bierl saw tremendous opportunity in the Iowa Great Lakes region, and in September of 2006, a store was added in Spirit Lake.
Harold Bierl’s company had always been a family business, employing many family members over the years. Sons Todd and Randy both worked with their father since childhood, and by the early 2000s they had begun taking over most of the day-to-day operations.
In 2007, company founder Harold Bierl passed away. From the early days in the 1950s, he had been an active leader in the Carroll business community and the driving force behind our company’s success.
After Harold Bierl’s passing in 2007, ownership of the company was handed down to his sons, Todd and Randy Bierl.
In 2007, the Ames store moved to it’s present location at 2818 South Duff Avenue.
In 2008, the Carroll store underwent a major facelift, with a new front façade and a completely remodeled showroom. At over 25,000 square feet, the Carroll location became the largest flooring store in the state of Iowa. All four stores became known simply as “Carpet One Floor & Home,” to emphasize the strength of the Carpet One brand.
At Carpet One’s national convention in 2008, Todd and Randy Bierl were presented with the Spirit Of Carpet One Award, in recognition of their contributions to the co-op, and the support of fellow members during the previous year.
For years the company had looked to expand into the Des Moines market, and in 2008 an opportunity arose in Urbandale. The store was originally located on Meredith Drive, and then in 2011, it moved to its current location on NW Urbandale Drive.
In 2012 the Spirit Lake store went through major changes with the addition of a new, much larger warehouse and new expanded showroom space.
In 2015, Carpet One in Carroll was presented with the Carroll Chamber of Commerce’s Heritage Award, in recognition of the company’s contribution to the local community over the past 60 years.
For many years, Carpet One has been a supporter of the Building For America’s Bravest program on a national level. In 2015, each of our stores was visited by New York Firefighter Ed Breen and presented with a special plaque containing a piece of World Trade Center steel. The presentation ceremony at our Urbandale store was attended by local firefighters and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad.
In 2023, the Spirit Lake store’s showroom underwent a major renovation, adding a Kiba Studios Kitchen & Bath Design Center. In addition to cabinets and countertops, the expanded product offering also includes sinks, tubs, showers, mirrors, electric fireplaces and more.
Today, the business that began as a small hardware store continues to thrive and grow, led by Todd Bierl and his sons Colin & Colby representing the 3rd generation.