What Empire Today does

Empire Today is a vertically integrated U.S. flooring retailer and installer that operates a shop-at-home distribution model, sending trained sales representatives to customer residences with product samples for in-home consultation, measurement, and professional installation. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Northlake, Illinois, the company serves individual residential homeowners as its primary customer across 24 major U.S. metropolitan areas, and additionally addresses commercial buyers including restoration companies, real estate investors, multi-unit property managers, and general contractors. The company has served over 3 million customers over its 65+ year history and holds 25,000+ verified five-star reviews on Shopper Approved. It is incorporated as Empire Today, LLC in Delaware and operates with 1,001–5,000 employees.

Empire Today's product portfolio spans five core flooring categories — carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile — layered with proprietary branded lines including WhisperHOME noise-reducing hardwood, DuraVista luxury vinyl plank, Everwood premium laminate, Fresh Haven odor-neutralizing carpet, HOME Fresh hypoallergenic carpet, and the Aqua Defense waterproof technology applied across vinyl and laminate. Underlying product construction leverages features such as SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) rigid core, waterproof membranes, and odor-neutralizing mineral technology. The company's go-to-market combines enterprise-style field sales (the in-home consultation model) with inside phone sales, online appointment scheduling, and direct-to-consumer marketing anchored by the long-running 'Empire Man' television campaign, with Horizon Next Media serving as Agency of Record. Pricing is quote-based and all-inclusive, bundling product, measurement, and installation, supplemented by a Low Price Guarantee, deferred-payment financing, and a referral program offering $350 off to referred customers and up to $1,000/year in Amazon gift cards for referrers. Post-sale monetization is augmented by the Empire Service Plan, a 5-year extended protection product powered by Extend.

Revenue mechanics are predominantly one-time product-plus-installation sales with an emerging recurring layer from financing and the Extend-powered service plan. The company is privately held with no disclosed revenue figures or ownership structure. Forward signals are mixed: Empire Today has expanded into commercial segments and added digital tools including the RoomVo room visualizer, but also engaged a financial advisor in the wake of a 2024 liability management exercise and depressed debt pricing, with lenders re-engaging their own advisors — indications of earnings pressure and financial restructuring considerations.

Name

Empire Today

Legal name

Empire Today, LLC

Website

https://empiretoday.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Empire Today is a U.S. flooring retailer and installer operating a shop-at-home model, serving residential homeowners and commercial clients across 24 major metropolitan areas with proprietary product lines and next-day professional installation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Flooring Installation Services

NAICS

Floor Covering Retailers (449121), Flooring Contractors (238330)

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Flooring Installation Services (Retailer-Affiliated) (CRAIAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carpet Installation & Replacement (HSAPAGAF), Hardwood Floor Installation (HSAPAGAA), Vinyl (LVP/LVT/Sheet) Flooring Installation (HSAPAGAD), Tile & Stone Flooring Installation (HSAPAGAE), Hardwood Flooring Retail (CRAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Flooring installation
• Residential flooring
• Carpet installation
• Shop at home
• Flooring replacement

Headquarters

HQ city

North Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Flooring Product Sales: Primary revenue from selling flooring materials including carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl plank, and luxury vinyl plank. Products are sold with all-inclusive pricing covering materials and installation.
2. Professional Installation Services: Revenue generated from professional flooring installation services performed by the company's network of trained installers. Installation is bundled with product sales as part of the all-inclusive pricing model.
3. Financing Programs: Customer financing options offered to enable purchase of higher-value flooring products and full-service installation, with deferred payment plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Empire Today is a U.S.-based residential flooring retailer and installer that sells and professionally installs carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile flooring. The company operates a shop-at-home (in-home shopping) model in which samples are brought directly to the customer's home, followed by measurement, quote, and professional installation often available the next day in served markets.

Product overview

Empire Today is a flooring retailer and installer offering a comprehensive portfolio of flooring products including Carpet, Hardwood, Laminate, Vinyl, and Tile. The company operates on a shop-at-home model where flooring consultants bring samples directly to customers. Key branded product lines include Bradstreet and Astoria luxury vinyl plank (with Aqua Defense waterproof technology), Incomparable frieze carpet with HOME Fresh hypoallergenic technology, and Trenton Berber carpet. The company also offers exclusive collections like WhisperHOME hardwood and DuraVista vinyl, supported by services including professional installation (next-day available), the Empire Service Plan extended warranty, financing options, and a Low Price Guarantee. Commercial services are available for restoration companies, real estate investors, and multi-unit properties. A digital RoomVo-powered room visualizer helps customers preview flooring in their spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carpet Flooring and Installation Sale and professional installation of residential carpet flooring for homeowners replacing or installing new carpet.
• Hardwood Flooring and Installation Sale and professional installation of solid and engineered hardwood flooring for residential customers.
• Laminate Flooring and Installation Sale and professional installation of laminate flooring products for homeowners.
• Vinyl Flooring and Installation Sale and professional installation of vinyl flooring (sheet and luxury vinyl plank/tile) for residential customers.
• Tile Flooring and Installation Sale and professional installation of ceramic and porcelain tile flooring for residential customers.
• In-Home Shopping and Measurement Consultation Free in-home appointment where a flooring specialist brings samples, measures the home, and provides a quote for product and installation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3+ million customers served over 65+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Horizon Next MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHorizon Next Media was appointed as Empire Today's Agency of Record (AOR) for full funnel marketing strategy. The partnership encompasses comprehensive marketing services including strategy development, media planning, and campaign execution across multiple channels to drive customer acquisition and brand growth.
• ExtendcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtend provides the technology platform for Empire Today's extended service plan offerings. The Empire Service Plan powered by Extend enables customers to purchase extended protection coverage for their flooring investments, providing peace-of-mind coverage beyond standard warranties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Shaw Industries: Shaw Industries is a major US flooring manufacturer (broadloom carpet, hardwood, laminate, LVT, tile) supplying Empire and other retailers/installers. Relevant as an upstream comparable in the same product categories Empire sells.
• IKEA: IKEA is a global home furnishings retailer with growing flooring and home services offerings. Comparable as an adjacent home furnishings brand competing for the same household renovation budget, though it does not provide full-service in-home flooring installation.
• Mohawk Industries: Mohawk Industries is one of the largest US flooring manufacturers (carpet, hard surface, ceramic tile) and a key upstream supplier to Empire. Comparable as a flooring category leader but operates on a wholesale/manufacturing model rather than retail/install.

Direct peers

• Carpet One Floor & Home: Carpet One is a cooperative of independently owned flooring retailers offering carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile with installation services. It directly competes with Empire on in-home/retail residential flooring sales through a similar product mix and service bundle.
• Floor & Decor: Floor & Decor is a specialty retailer of hard surface flooring (tile, wood, laminate, vinyl) with a strong installer/pro program. Like Empire, it sells flooring as the primary product, but distributes through showroom/warehouse stores rather than in-home consultations.
• LL Flooring (Lumber Liquidators): LL Flooring is a specialty retailer focused on hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile flooring with professional installation services. It is the closest pure-play comparable to Empire Today's retail-plus-installation model, though historically showroom-led rather than in-home-led.
• 50 Floor: 50 Floor is a US installed-flooring specialist using an in-home consultation and professional installation model. Its shop-at-home, measure-and-install service closely mirrors Empire Today's core motion, scaled regionally.

Broad incumbents

• Lowe's: Lowe's is the #2 US home improvement retailer with a comparable flooring category (carpet, wood, laminate, vinyl, tile) and installed sales program. It competes with Empire on price, selection, and project financing, but within a much broader assortment.
• The Home Depot: The Home Depot is the largest US home improvement retailer offering flooring products (carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile) alongside installation services. It competes with Empire on the residential install side but as part of a much broader home improvement portfolio.

Emerging players

• Wayfair: Wayfair is a large online home furnishings retailer that has expanded into flooring and home services, competing with Empire on the online research and transactional layer. It lacks Empire's in-home consultation and bundled install but pressures the digital discovery side.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/empiretoday
• Facebookfacebook.com/empiretoday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-today

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empire Today