FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED
Grassroots K & M Floors has captured the affections of major players like Belk, Olive Garden, and White House | Black Market. To their A-list clients, they’re known as top-of-the-trade craftsmen, but to husband-and-wife owners Jason and Melissa Drum, it’s simply how they want to raise their family.
K & M Floors is, after all, a true family business: Jason is the craftsman, Melissa runs the office, and the kids provided the name. K & M stands for Kaiden and Makayla – who, at 9 and 11, already say they’ll be joining the business one day. And that’s exactly the plan, affirms Jason.
Like most great plans, it was birthed during a season of sudden adversity for the Drum family. Jason, a flooring and tile craftsman by trade, found himself without a job when the company he worked for in Douglasville folded under the economic weight of 2008. Rather than put their family’s fate back into someone else’s unsure hands, Jason and Melissa decided to launch their own company.
“We really went out on a limb,” says Melissa. “Right in the middle of the economy tanking, we opened up K & M Floors. We had no choice. We’ve made some big sacrifices and worked really hard to grow it.”
And grow it, they have. They’re now the go-to flooring source for companies like Fairfield Inn & Suites, The Courtyard by Marriott, H & M in Arbor Place, Build-A-Bear, and Belk — who has hired them repeatedly for extensive remodels. Residential remodels, however, account for more than half of their business, with word-of-mouth referrals and top ratings on Angie’s List and Home Advisor being their primary modes of growth. (Impressively, 100 percent of reviewers say they would refer K & M to friends and family.)
FEATURED IN LITTLE RED WAGON MAGAZINE, HOLIDAY 2015
CRAFTSMAN FOR HIRE
To their benefit, there’s been a recent uptick in appreciation of true craftsmanship (thank you for that, Pinterest) – and Jason is a true craftsman. Gorgeous, unique outcomes are his trademark: Hand-scraped hardwoods, wide-plank gray-washed finishes, luxury vinyl, and rustic barn wood-look-alike tile are client favorites.
“We make things unique,” says Jason, who personally consults with each client and also credits his team for maintaining craftsman caliber. “Building a team to support our vision has been essential. Most of our team members have been with us since day one, and they’re as passionate about each project as the homeowners are. They add those extra touches and go above and beyond, like it’s their own home.”
With a strong team in place, K & M has been able to expand beyond flooring, too – their bathroom remodels in particular have taken off. “We install frameless glass showers and retile entire master baths and showers. The results really are stunning,” says Melissa.
THE GOOD EARTH
Because they always have one eye on the future with their kids in mind, environmental responsibility is a natural priority. Jason notes that they focus on sustainability, offering eco-friendly hardwood and luxury vinyl tile. They also send all old carpet and padding back to the mill for recycling, minimizing landfill usage.
At the end of the day, Jason and Melissa cite Kaiden and Makayla as their inspiration and the biggest sustainers of their success. “We’re building this business from the ground up for our kids,” says Jason. “It’s my craft and our livelihood, but it’s also our legacy to leave to them. We’re not going anywhere, and when that’s your vision, your roots grow deep. We’re here to stay.”