It’s a business story that will floor you.

The success Gary Deaton enjoys didn’t happen overnight, but 50 years later Deaton’s Carpet One easily defines a true America spirit.

“Jesus came into my life, and I was saved in 1972, and I credit all my success to the Lord,” Deaton said, “Out of that I found a real purpose for living … I live by faith every day. He gave me this opportunity.

“America has never been a nation of guarantees … it’s always been a land of opportunity.”

Deaton opened Deaton’s Rug Barn in the fall of 1974 after investing basically all the money he and wife Marilyn had – $425 – to purchase 21 remnants of carpet and one roll of damaged carpet.

Perhaps Gary’s toughest sale he ever made was to convince Marilyn of a very ambitious idea.

“When I told my wife, she asked ‘How are we going to feed our kids, make our house payment, and two car payments?’” Gary said, “I told her we were going to sell the carpet I bought – we were going to make a living doing this.”

One day later the damaged roll of carpet sold for $375 – but.

“The check bounced,” Gary said, “It took about a week to make it good. The first year we made it, and the next year (1975), our first full year, we sold $167,000 of carpeting.”

Momentum may have been building for Gary, but it’s a word that wasn’t always in his vocabulary.

Originally from Philadelphia, Mississippi, Gary moved to Jackson when he was 6 years old.

“My daddy went to work at Southern Gas for Bud Hamilton who owned Williams Steel at one time,” Deaton said, “I attended Billy Steele Private School for troubled youths on 200 Roland Avenue.

“We probably had 10- to 12 kids in the school – classes were day and night, two shifts. I dropped out my junior year and joined the United States Marine Corps.”

Following a six-year stent Deaton left the Corps in 1966.

“I roamed around the country, but went to work for Sears in Jackson, then Owens Corning and I’m thinking Duck’s Carpet in 1968,” Deaton said, “Then I tried real estate.

“I left Duck’s to work for Richard Woodard who owned Richwood Realty.”

Gary and Marilyn, who married June 5, 1971, double-teamed the real estate market in 1974, but six sales later and a slow market, Gary had another venture in mind, and that’s when Deaton’s Rug Barn was born.

“I laid carpet for about three years and hired two people – ‘Generator Brooks and Willie Mackey. Later, I hired George Cox as an installer – we had dedicated employees.”

Gary and Marilyn opened their business at 527 East College Street – photo, left – or as he calls it ‘the old lumber shed owned by Bobby Beare near the railroad tracks downtown.’

Expansion was on the horizon and Gary and Marilyn changed addresses again after a seven-year run at East College Street, and 206 North Royal Street for four years.

The North Royal Street location – photo, lower right – locals will remember as a former Liberty Supermarket – offered a showroom.

In 1985, Gary and Marilyn made their move to 1000 U.S. Highway 45 Bypass.

“We built this building with the help of three good friends, Reggie Smith (Town & Country Realtors), banker Harbert Alexander, Jackson National Bank, and Ken Brasfield was the contractor,” Deaton said, “But with high interest rates and renovation, CCA – Carpet Co-Operative of America – known as Carpet One – was formed in 1985 – and we were one of the original members.”

The cooperative offers buying, education, and marketing power.

“Carpet One – the national company – today owns six franchises nationally, and it’s the largest floor covering entity in America with over 1,000 stores,” Deaton said, “But you can’t create a company without dedicated people who understand the customer is the most important person who walks through the door.

“We have two policies – No. 1 – the customer is always right, and No. 2, refer to No. 1.”

Deaton, who is still involved in the overall operations of Deaton’s Carpet One, said he has a sales management team that is totally dedicated.

“We emphasize to satisfy the customer,” Deaton said, “Have we accomplished that?” “100 percent, probably not, but we try, 99 percent of the time, I think we do.””

Deaton said the most people he’s had on the payroll, not including those who did contract work totaled 21.

“We’ve had 10 crews working for us, and at one time we had 10 salespeople on the floor,” Deaton said, “We’re operating with less people now than we have in a long time.

“Anybody can sell floor covering, but only a few understand the quality of service.”

NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM will be onsite 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friday – visit with Sea Bass and listen live during the remote.

50th Anniversary Celebration at 1000 U.S. Highway 45 Bypass, SATURDAY, FEB. 17 –

Join the Celebration – no purchase necessary.

Food – Blowin’ Smoke BBQ with master chef, Charles West – BBQ, ribs, BBQ baloney and fun – register for prizes prior to the celebration, a ton of giveaways – gift cards, portable heaters, coolers, a 65” Vizio television and more – 12 p.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday.