Flashback Friday: Consolidated Carpet In the 1980’s

1980’s

Number of Full-time Associates – 170+
Major Projects – American Express Headquarters, Chase Metrotech, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Rockefeller Family & Financial, Milbank Tweed Headly & McCoy, Helmsley Palace

During the 1980’s, we experienced a boom in the number of law firms and legal institutions we completed work for. Many of these law firms have remained ongoing clients of our organization through the 21st Century. In the early half of the decade, we installed the carpet at the famous and luxurious Helmsley Palace Hotel. We helped cover Sixth Avenue in red carpet in 1982 for A Night of 100 Stars – an all-star variety special to celebrate the centennial of the Actors’ Fund of America. The event featured 100 stars, including Lauren Bacall, Tony Bennett, Milton Berle, Cher, Sammy Davis Jr., Robert De Niro, Grace Kelly, David Letterman, Penny Marshall, Liza Minnelli, Christopher Reeve, Ginger Rogers, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Sutherland and more at an event at the iconic New York landmark, Radio City Music Hall.

The company celebrated its 40th Anniversary in October 1983 with a gala at the New York Sheraton in Midtown Manhattan. Associates, family members, and industry friends celebrated and honored the company for all of its incredible achievements. In addition, Consolidated saw its first public relations efforts in the 80’s, when we appeared in media and industry publications, including local Norwegian Newspaper, “Nordisk Tidende” and Interior Design Magazine.

Consolidated Featured In Interior Design Magazine

A Night of 100 Stars

Arne Meberg (Center) on the job at A Night of 100 Stars

Consolidated Featured In Interior Design Magazine

Paul Meberg on the job at A Night of 100 Stars

Consolidated Carpet Celebrates 40 Years

A Night of 100 Stars

Consolidated Featured in Local Newspaper

Consolidated Carpet In the 1970’s

1970’s

Number of Full-time Associates – 153
Major Customers – Vogler Carpet, Graham Carpet, Hoffman Carpet, New York Carpet, Shehadi, Einstein Moomjy, Lord & Adams – V’Soske, Random House, Helmsley Spear, Westpoint Pepperell
Major Projects – World Trade Center, Playtex, AVCO, American Tobacco, General Electric, Conde Nast, McGraw Hill, UN Hotel, Met Opera, AT&T, Swiss Reinsurance, Phillip Morris, First Boston, General Foods, Bank of New York, Goldman Sachs, Essex House, Plaza Hotel

The 1970’s brought forth many of our most popular and iconic installations to date, including the original Twin Towers at the World Trade Center, The UN Hotel, Met Opera, and Plaza Hotel. This decade also saw our company branching out from primarily education and hospitality projects into large-scale corporate jobs such as Conde Nast and AT&T. During this time, our account executives, installers and entire organization frequently held family picnics and golf outings. Beyond the Meberg Family, Consolidated Carpet began to be its own family.

The 2nd Generation of Meberg’s

WTC Under Construction via prohoopshistory.com

Photos from one of many Consolidated Golf Outings

The Plaza Hotel via http://www.cinemastyle.blogspot.com

Some of our associates at a 1970’s Golf Outing

The founders of Consolidated Carpet – Tom & Leif Meberg (l to r)

Celebrating 70 Years of Excellence

We are so excited, proud, and humbled by the incredible support our organization has received as we celebrate our 70th Anniversary of being in business this November. We have teamed up with Floor Covering News to share our story with the publication’s readers, in a 40-page Special Edition Supplement included in all mailings of Floor Covering News and its’ sister publication, Green Operations Magazine. The Special Edition features interviews with our executive team, a history of our organization, project features, and our insights into the floor covering industry. We are thankful for the support of our clients, vendors and friends who were a tremendous help in making this commemorative issue all a reality. Haven’t seen the magazine? Check it out here!

Flashback Friday: 1960’s at Consolidated Carpet

1960’s

Number of Full-time Associates – 86
Major Customers – Simon Manges, Custom Floors Albany, Ewing Carpet, N.Y. Planning, Sherland & Farrington. National Theatre Supply, Hornstein, Frazier Gold, Empire Office Equipment, Louis Tregre Assoc.
Major Projects – Burlington, J.P. Stevens, Warwick Hotel, Drake Hotel, World’s Fair, Merrill Lynch, Columbia University, New York University, Fordham University, Hotel Pierre, Wyndham Hotel, Windsor Hotel, Park Lane (Central Park South), Sheraton Motor Inn, St. Regis, Princess Hotel Bermuda, Castle Harbour Hotel Bermuda, Mayflower Hotel, Peter Cooper Hotel, Hilton Hotel Ethiopia, Home Lines, Saks 5th Avenue

In the 1960’s, we completed many Institutional installations, such as NYU, Columbia University and Fordham University. A majority of our business was still in the hospitality segment having worked on many major hotels in the New York City area and beyond. We even took our skills & business to Bermuda, completing work at the Princess Hotel and Castle Harbour Hotel.

Joe Campisi Sr & Ed Dunphy at Plandome Country Club (1961)

Ed Dunphy, Joe Campisi Sr & Ralph at Plandome Country Club

Joe Campisi Sr & Ed Dunphy at Plandome Country Club (1961)

Flashback Friday: 1950’s at Consolidated Carpet

1950’s

Number of Full-time Associates – 56
Major Customers – Carpet Distributor Corp, Dippel, Vogler & Sharkey, Loews, Carpet Salesman, Circle Floors
Major Projects – Socony Mobil, Sky Chef, University of Indiana, Peck & Peck, Toule AFB (Greenland), Ohrbachs, Taft Hotel, Sheraton (Philadelphia, Dallas, Binghamton, Park Sheraton, McAlpin, Russell, East, Astor), Lexington Hotel, Loews Hotels (Summit, Howard Johnson, Americana, City Squire, Regency, Ramada Inn)

Entering into our second decade in business, we expanded out to installations in cities such as Dallas & Binghamton and continued our successes in the New York Tri-state area. In addition, the 50’s brought new Meberg’s into the business with the founders Leif and Tom’s son’s Lloyd, Tor and Arne joining the company in 1951 and 1959. As an install-only company throughout this decade, a majority of our work was focused on hospitality projects around the country.

Tom’s son, Tor Meberg

Tom’s Son, Arne Meberg

Original Shop Picture – 1959

Bill Olsen – “Squaring Off” on the Cutting Floor

Outtakes from the Shop Picture – 1959

More Outtakes – 1959

Mike Lundegaard – “The Men Are On the Way”

Tom Meberg at Mike Lundegaard’s Desk

What Does “Legacy” Mean?

Last week, our associates were treated to a discussion with renowned teamwork and construction expert Mark Breslin. Breslin, a 30 year veteran of the construction industry and part of his family’s fourth generation business, frequently travels to organizations much like Consolidated Carpet to engage in dialogue with their associates on a variety of topics. The audience, comprised of Consolidated Carpet Executives, union-trained installers and foremen, and office staff, eagerly participated in the discussion.

The overarching theme of the discussion with Mark was legacy. As we celebrate our 70th Anniversary of being in business, our company has experienced legacy in many ways throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. But what Mark brought to the forefront was the idea that legacy is not just your reputation over an extended period of time, but rather a combination of various things.

When asked, our associates discussed what “legacy” meant to them: opportunity, sustainability, the impression you leave behind for others. Mark implored our team to remember that day in and day out, they are not just contributing to Consolidated Carpet’s legacy, but their own.

Legacy is about engagement. Teamwork. Brand quality and integrity. Leadership. And most importantly, legacy is living and leading to your fullest potential. Our associates took a great deal away from the dialogue with Mark Breslin, but the greatest impression left the audience asking “Why not me?” when thinking about who can leave a lasting legacy.