While taking this image, there was a bit of sparring over the correct way to tie a necktie between father (John) and son (Tom Jr.) while grandfather (Tom Sr.) simply wanted the process to be completed “in his lifetime…please.” In an effort to capture good smiles for the photograph, I asked all 3 Iskalis’ who was the smartest?…they all replied “me” in synchrony.

 

Growing up where business and family were one, Tom Iskalis Jr. learned a lot from his father and his grandfather. The small-town values with which he was raised helped guide him to make the recent decision to join the family flooring business that for nearly 50 years, has persevered in good times and bad.

 

The third-generation Iskalis credits his grandfather's dream and business savvy, and the support of his second generation father with giving the company its strong foundation. He had been mentored by great role models, and he wanted to gather the guidance he received, and the principles he learned from his family and begin his career. Of the many lessons he learned from his grandfather, there were two that stood out. The first was there is something to learn from everybody. The second was that “business relationships are circular, you may be in front of someone today and behind them tomorrow so be straight forward.” 

 

Tom Jr. has learned that being the boss' son is not as easy as one may think, it takes time to get up to speed and to learn all aspects of the business. Thankfully, many have helped and mentored him to learn his new role. Tom Jr. hopes to “create a memorable customer experience by providing the customer with the knowledge to create beautiful interior spaces.” In addition, his academic background and passion for entrepreneurship brings fresh eyes to the table with an understanding of key metrics and performance data. 

 

The business, which sells carpet, tile and hardwood for residential and commercial spaces, has continued to flourish, in part by staying ahead of the trends and anticipating and coping with changes in the economy. 

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As a young man, Tom Iskalis Sr. worked for his father, an Albanian immigrant who owned an upholstery business. Tom Iskalis Sr. recalls his early love of textile design that would later translate into interior design. Tom would later purchase “K&K Rugs and Carpet” in 1976. “Our humble beginnings began in a 400 square foot space. Today our combined spaces have grown to more than 70,000 square feet which includes a corporate office, two recently renovated residential and commercial retail showrooms, a warehouse in Gurnee and new retail showrooms on the horizon that will all be part of The Iskalis Flooring Group.” 

 

Succeeding through the decades has meant offering not only high-quality products, but also delivering on customer satisfaction. The company's flooring business remains strong by offering a variety of products and services; commercial and residential installation, sanding and refinishing, carpet cleaning and repair, kitchen countertops and back splashes to name a few.

 

Second generation John Iskalis, was offered a position in the company by his father after graduating from The University of Illinois in 1991. John is a driving force in the expansion of their commercial work. With dogged persistence, he has been able to grow the business and takes great pride in transforming communities one project at a time. John is invested in the future and is continually upgrading processes to estimate and quote prices quickly and to better manage work crews, installation and communications with clients. In addition, the company website contains its full product catalog so customers can shop and select samples before visiting the showroom.

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The Iskalis’ endured the great recession of 2008, as well as many previous down times including the recent pandemic. They continually move forward with instilled a love of family and a tremendous work ethic. Being able to perform in every area of their business and knowing their customers is vital to their success. When Tom Iskalis Sr. is asked, “what is the greatest aspect of your family business?” He becomes very emotional. His response is, “When I hear various people are taking note of my son and grandson’s kindness, and that they truly care and provide great attention to their customers… this is the legacy I hoped to achieve.” 

 

With so many roles to fill within their growing ventures, a variety of talents and viewpoints can all contribute to the success of the family business. Alongside the Iskalis men, stand the Iskalis women Doris and Dana Iskalis. They are behind the scenes handling the accounting and finances. Each of the 3 generations of Iskalis brings a unique set of skills and energy - a blend of “old school vs. new school practices.” They have stuck to their small-town roots and family values. They have had their fair share of loss and struggle but through it all, they have never lost sight of who they are serving…their long-standing customers, their communities, and each other.

 

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