Our founder

Howard (Mike) Abbott Jr

Abbott Paint & Carpet was founded in 1945 by Howard (Mike) Abbott Jr, father to seven children, including the four proud sons who now run the day-to-day operations: Kevin, Steve, Tim and Dave. Mike never asked his children to enter the business but due to his integrity, work ethic, and a genuine love of the business, his four sons were inspired to follow in his footsteps and continue his legacy.

Mike Abbott passed in 2016. He was part of a generation of entrepreneurial small business giants who took risks and worked very hard to build and grow a business that would employ nearly a thousand employees over its 75 years. His work ethic was such that he was still working in his office at the ripe old age of 91. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary of business this year in 2020, we are constantly reminded of where we started and how grateful we are of our fearless founder.

Integrity & Excellence

When you think about home design centers in today’s market, it’s dominated by massive warehouse stores and national manufacturers. Independent retailers are an endangered species, but in true "survival-of-the-fittest" mode, we're here to stay. We love what we do, and we’re motivated each and every day by helping our customers. From the number of knowledgeable, trained personnel to our one-on-one customer support, we still match the majority of paints by hand because computers cannot achieve what we do by eye, but if it’s technology you want, we’ve got that too. And, Abbott may be the only retailer that still does custom-stain matches!

We also offer a full staff of design professionals who will help bring your “pinterest” vision to life with our products. See something you like online? Bring it here, and we’ll help you find the exact same product or a perfect match.

Our employees are our greatest asset. Together we strive to conduct our business with integrity and excellence and promise that at Abbott Paint & Carpet there are always knowledgeable, helpful people eager to serve you. We will help you find what you are looking for by walking you to the spot where an item is located and showing you all your options. We’ll explain how to best use the materials you need and help you avoid unnecessary purchases.

Learn a Little More About Us

Part of the story the Abbott family likes to share with customers is that Mike Abbott's father was a painter. Mike started the paint store when he was a freshman while he attended college nearby at the University of Saint Thomas. He would open the store in the morning, sell paint to his father and other contractors, close the store, and then attend classes in the afternoon. Watch the video to learn more!

We at Abbott Paint & Carpet are committed to conducting our business with great integrity and excellence in all that we do. Our goal is to continually improve our products and services, and we strive to recognize and respect the partnerships we have with our customers, suppliers, employees, and the communities in which we serve—St Paul, Stillwater, and White Bear Lake.

Thank you, Minnesota, for making Abbott Paint & Carpet a decorating and house improvement destination!

The Abbotts—Kevin, Steve, Dave, and Tim