Seeing Ted holding the tape measure while our team prepare flooring at Sopha brought back memories of helping my own dad more than 30 years ago.
by Matthew Scott - Sopha's founder
One of the joys of running a family business is recognising those little moments. For Ted, it might simply be popping in after school and lending a hand. For me, it’s a reminder of time spent with my late dad, long before I had a business of my own.
Sunday mornings with Dad
When I was young, Sunday mornings often meant heading out with Dad to his shop in Burnham. We’d meet some of the carpet fitters, plan out the jobs and cut the carpets ready for the week ahead.
There were no smooth, heated floors to roll them out on. Instead, we’d work on the tarmac in the lane outside the shop, with a couple of cones in the road to warn any approaching traffic!
At the time, that was simply what we did. Looking back, it’s those ordinary details that have stayed with me: going along with Dad, helping out and getting a glimpse of his working life.
Different surroundings, familiar moments
Things look a little different at Sopha today. We prepare our carpets indoors on smooth, heated floors, and there’s time during the working week to get everything ready for fitting.
That means Ted can pop in after school to help. Watching him hold the tape measure feels very familiar, even if the surroundings have changed considerably.
The flooring we sell has changed, too. I remember patterned woven carpets being a much bigger part of the picture. Today, neutral loop and twist carpets, alongside luxury vinyl tile flooring — often called LVT — make up much of what our customers choose.
Styles and products move on, but helping someone choose a floor for their home is still at the heart of what we do.
Familiar names and family connections
Many of the British flooring manufacturers we work with at Sopha also supplied Dad.
Some manufacturers have sadly disappeared over the years, but several of those connections remain. It still means a lot when someone in the trade remembers him and speaks about him. Those conversations are a reminder that his working life is remembered by people beyond our family, too.
Sopha is my own business, supported by my own small family and a fantastic team. We’re building something of our own, and moments like this remind me how much family history I bring to it.
What will Ted remember?
More than 30 years after I helped Dad prepare carpets, Ted is here holding the other end of the tape measure.
I wonder where he’ll be in another 30 years. What will his working life look like? And which memories of these afternoons will stay with him?
Perhaps something that feels ordinary to him now will one day bring it all back — just as watching him help has done for me.
For now, it’s lovely to have him alongside us, sharing a small part of the working day.
Find your next floor at Sopha
If you’re thinking about new flooring, pop in and speak to our team. We’d love to show you the carpets and flooring available, talk through ideas for your home and arrange a free, no-obligation estimate.
Sopha - built on a family legacy of nearly 50 years carpeting homes in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge.
