Empty Nesters Start a New Flooring Chapter in Maine
This article was originally published on Patch.com on April 14, 2026. (Portland ME…April 14, 2026) After 30 years in Illinois and decades spent building a successful corporate career, Steve Bickford and his wife, Cheryl, have come home to Maine to build something of their own.
The couple, now empty nesters and at a turning point in their professional lives, has launched Floor Coverings International® of Portland, bringing a fresh, customer – focused flooring experience to Greater Portland and Southern Maine’s coastal communities. For Bickford, the move is both personal and practical: a return to his home state, a chance to collaborate with his wife, and an opportunity to apply everything he learned in the corporate world to a business that serves local homeowners directly.
“I’ve worked my entire career for others,” said Bickford. “While I was paid well, I was always building something for someone else. At this point in my life, I wanted to leave corporate America behind, be our own bosses, partner with my wife, and build something for ourselves and our family.”
Bickford brings a strong mix of executive leadership and firsthand industry knowledge to the business. He spent 20 years as president of an IT company and previously worked for a decade in the construction industry. Along the way, he gained deep experience in profit-and-loss management, bootstrapping, measured growth, sales, marketing, and client service. He also draws on an engineering and materials science background that helps him understand the building process and guide customers through flooring selection with confidence.
Those lessons from the corporate world are shaping how he plans to run the business in Maine: with disciplined growth, strong community relationships, responsive service, and a focus on helping customers make smart long-term decisions for their homes.
“Having run a business, I understand all the drivers of growth and service,” Bickford said. “My wife and I are both comfortable working in the community, building local connections, and taking care of customers. We want people to feel they are getting knowledgeable guidance, honest recommendations, and a wonderful experience from start to finish.
The family’s decision to relocate was years in the making. Although the Bickfords had long assumed they would return to Maine after retirement, they realized that waiting would mean putting off a dream they were ready to pursue now. Because their children grew up vacationing in Maine and love the state as much as they do, the move also opens the door for family members to become part of the business in the future. In fact, one of their children may join them as soon as this summer.
Through Floor Coverings International‘s in-home shopping model, Bickford brings flooring samples directly to customers, allowing them to compare products in their own lighting and alongside their home’s décor. The business offers hardwood, carpet, luxury vinyl, laminate, and tile, along with professional installation.
Bickford also believes today’s flooring products offer homeowners more flexibility and performance than ever before, especially in a market like Southern Maine, where housing styles and conditions can vary widely.
In homes with existing hardwood floors, for example, many homeowners want to extend wood into new areas but do not want the inconvenience of traditional site-finished flooring, which can require several days of downtime. Bickford said engineered hardwood and prefinished full-thickness hardwood now offer attractive alternatives that deliver the look homeowners want with less disruption.
He also sees strong opportunities in lower-level spaces and basements, where moisture can be a concern. While ceramic and porcelain tile remain excellent options, newer luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile products can provide the look of wood or tile at a lower installed cost and often with less installation time.
Carpet, too, has evolved. Newer products feature advanced stain resistance built directly into the fibers before weaving, helping provide longer -lasting performance than surface treatments alone. Some styles also include backing designed to resist moisture penetration, helping prevent spills from soaking into the carpet pad or subfloor beneath.
According to Cheryl, who will serve as office manager of the business, “I will be focusing on marketing and community engagement. And from what I have seen in my research, people in Maine need hardwood, engineered hardwood and carpeting mostly. All pet proof solutions are super popular of course.”
For the Bickfords, helping customers understand those options is a key part of the job.
“There are so many more solutions available today than people may realize,” Steve said. “A big part of what we do is help homeowners find the right product for how they actually live, whether that means beauty, durability, moisture resistance, easier maintenance, or all of the above.”
The couple will be focused on building a trusted local business that reflects both his professional experience and his family’s long-standing connection to Maine. Floor Coverings International of Portland serves Greater Portland and Southern Maine coastal communities
For more information, visit floorcoveringsinternational.com/locations/us/me/Portland or call 207-489-6911.
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ABOUT FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL
Floor Coverings International is the #1 flooring franchise in North America with over 300 locations between the U.S. and Canada. Known for its unique customer experience and Mobile Flooring Showroom®, the business model brings over 3000 flooring samples to the customer’s door. For more information, please go to www.floorcoveringsinternational.com.
