Carillon Floors, Clearwater, Florida

Bob Rice was the fifth of seven sons born to Clark and Gladys Rice of Vero Beach, Florida. All of the sons grew up working in the Rice Brothers dry cleaning, laundry, and rug cleaning business. Everyday they went to work at 4:30 A.M. to "fire-up" the boiler to start washing and came back after school to fold towels, press linens, and make deliveries.

After graduating from college, Bob became a naval pilot and spent several months on duty in the Mediterranean area. It was there that he became intensely interested in the ancient art of oriental rug weaving. In Turkey he sought out the oriental rug weaving centers and watched in fascination as rugs were designed and knotted by hand on looms.

Years later, in 1964, Bob brought his wife Jeanne and seven young children to Clearwater where he built the first rug washing specialty plant in the area. A few years later a retail store was added with an Oriental Rug Gallery and a Carpet Center featuring all types of floor coverings and service. Oriental rugs, as works of art, now became a special part of his life as the gallery grew and Carillon became well known for its expertise and knowledge of oriental rugs and their care and restoration.

Carrying on in the family tradition, all of their children learned how to clean and repair rugs at an early age. Tyler Rice and his father Bob have been active for over two decades in the Oriental Rug Retailers Association (ORRA) and are both past officers and members of the Board of Directors.

The second generation of the Rice Family has now assumed active management of Carillon. Tyler and his sister, Kathie Rice, opened a new 12,500 square foot store in North Clearwater in 2006. They are now leading Carillon into the 21st Century and carrying on the Carillon philosophy of providing the finest in quality products and service.