Longtime Lake Placid Business Relocates

LAKE PLACID - Tiles by Fran Inc. has been in business in Lake Placid more than 20 years, but the company's Paula Tharpe believes few people in the community know about the decorative tile operation.

But that should change because of a new address.

Tiles by Fran Inc. has moved from Placid Lakes to 208 N. Main Ave. in downtown Lake Placid.

"I knew we had to move into town to get traffic and let people know we are in business," Tharpe said.

Fran and Paul Hadden, Paula's parents, started the business in the mid-1980s. Fran started in her home and then 15 years ago moved the business to Lake Groves Road in Placid Lakes.

In 1999, Paula moved from Tennessee to learn the family business and to take over the operation. The Haddens remain part-owners with Paula and her two brothers.

A Florida Tile dealer, the business sells decorative tile such as murals, accents, vines, borders, house numbers as well as decorative gift items.

Tiles by Fran has tile distributors in nearly every state in the country.

Customers do not have to leave town to find decorative tile. Tharpe said she knows of someone who traveled to Sarasota, and bought tile that was made by her company.

"You get the same thing we sell here," she said. "We do the process right here in Lake Placid."

A massive catalog of more than 200 pages of the company's products is available online www.tilesbyfran.com

"We have pretty much anything you want in tile," Tharpe said. "Everything is made to order."

Store hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday by appointment.

The business will be having an open house on Nov. 6 with Alpha Natural, which recently moved to its new location a few doors down from Tiles by Fran . There will be refreshments and door prizes.