South Florida

As outdoor hospitality spaces continue to shape guest expectations, hotels, resorts, marinas, and waterfront entertainment venues across South Florida are once again turning to Native American Chiki Huts / Tiki Palm Huts, a long‑established Seminole‑owned commercial builder known for authentic craftsmanship and durable outdoor structures. 

With decades of experience serving the region’s tourism and hospitality sectors, the company remains a leading provider of commercial tiki huts, chickee huts, and custom outdoor bar installations designed specifically for Florida’s climate.

South Florida properties are increasingly investing in outdoor enhancements that improve guest comfort and visual appeal. Shade structures, poolside cabanas, waterfront dining areas, and event‑ready gathering spaces continue to be top priorities for venues competing in a high‑demand tourism market. 

Tiki Palm Huts’ reputation for true Seminole building methods, commercial‑grade materials, and reliable project timelines has made them a consistent choice for businesses seeking long‑lasting, visually distinctive upgrades.

Commercial clients throughout Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and the Florida Keys frequently highlight the company’s deep understanding of coastal weather conditions, its ability to meet commercial property standards, and its proven track record delivering structures that withstand heavy use. 

From luxury resorts to boutique hotels and waterfront restaurants, Tiki Palm Huts continues to support South Florida businesses looking to elevate their outdoor environments with authentic, culturally rooted craftsmanship.

Businesses interested in enhancing their outdoor guest areas can explore commercial options at TikiPalmHuts.com or speak directly with the team.

Book a Meeting:  

To schedule a commercial consultation and upgrade your South Florida property with authentic Seminole‑crafted tiki huts, visit TikiPalmHuts.com and book a meeting with the team today.

PLANO, Texas

The latest Chapwood Index findings show that Americans continue to experience cost-of-living increases that dramatically exceed the inflation rates reported by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), raising serious concerns about the use of CPI as the nation’s primary measure of inflation and purchasing power.

The Chapwood Index tracks the actual prices of 150 commonly purchased goods and services in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Unlike CPI calculations, the Chapwood Index measures real prices paid by consumers without substitutions, hedonic adjustments, weighting manipulations, or other statistical modifications.

“The CPI no longer reflects the financial reality facing American families,” said Ed Butowsky, Founder of the Chapwood Index. “Americans know their grocery bills, insurance premiums, taxes, utilities, healthcare costs, and everyday expenses are rising far faster than government statistics suggest.”

2025 FINDINGS

The 2025 Chapwood Index data confirms that Americans continue to face annual cost-of-living increases that are several times higher than official inflation reports.

Across major metropolitan areas, long-term Chapwood Index averages remain in the range of approximately 10% to 14% annually, far exceeding the CPI figures used to determine Social Security adjustments, pension increases, wage negotiations, and retirement planning assumptions.

Among the highest long-term inflation cities:

• Oakland: 14.19% average annual increase
• San Francisco: 14.16%
• Long Beach: 14.04%
• San Jose: 13.96%
• Los Angeles: 13.34%
• Boston: 13.03%

Nationally, the average annual increase in the actual cost of living remains approximately 11% to 12%, according to Chapwood Index calculations.

WHY CPI IS NOT A LEGITIMATE COST-OF-LIVING MEASURE

The Consumer Price Index was never designed to measure the actual increase in maintaining a constant standard of living.

The Chapwood Index identifies several reasons why CPI fails as a real-world cost-of-living benchmark:

• CPI relies on statistical adjustments and substitutions that often reduce reported inflation.
• CPI does not accurately capture the full impact of taxes, local costs, and many essential household expenses.
• CPI applies national averages despite vast regional differences in living costs. A family in Dallas experiences a different inflation environment than a family in San Francisco or Boston.
• Wage increases, pension adjustments, and Social Security benefits tied to CPI frequently fail to keep pace with actual household expenses.

The result is a steady erosion of purchasing power.

For example, while official inflation figures often report increases of 2% to 4%, Chapwood data regularly shows real annual increases exceeding 10% in most major cities.

THE IMPACT ON RETIREMENT AND FINANCIAL PLANNING

The consequences of relying on CPI are significant.

Retirement projections, pension assumptions, salary negotiations, and investment return targets are frequently built around inflation rates that substantially understate actual living expenses.
A portfolio earning 7% annually may appear successful when compared to CPI. Yet if a family’s true cost of living rises by 11% to 12%, purchasing power continues to decline.

The Chapwood Index demonstrates that many Americans are not falling behind because they fail to save or invest. They are falling behind because the benchmark used to measure inflation fails to reflect their actual expenses.

ABOUT THE CHAPWOOD INDEX

The Chapwood Index was created by financial advisor Ed Butowsky to measure the actual increase in the cost of maintaining a middle-class lifestyle. The index tracks the prices of 150 frequently purchased goods and services across the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas and publishes updated results on a regular basis. Unlike CPI, the Chapwood Index reports actual observed prices without seasonal adjustments or statistical modifications.

For additional information and full city-by-city results, visit:

https://www.chapwoodindex.com

Media Contact:

972.897.0197

Chapwood Investments, LLC

[email protected]

Plano, Texas

https://www.chapwoodindex.com

Atlanta, GA

Floor Coverings International®, North America’s leading mobile flooring franchise system, has been named winner of the Best Big Budget Campaign award in Franchise Update Media’s 2026 Franchise Innovation Awards, an annual program honoring the brands, teams and ideas moving franchising forward.

KATIE PYNNONEN (Sr. Director, Brand Marketing) and STACEY VOGLER (Cheif Marketing Officer)

Franchise Update Media announced the winners of the 8th Annual Franchise Innovation Awards after a panel of judges reviewed more than 100 entries from franchise brands across the country. The awards recognize companies using innovation to solve genuine business challenges, improve performance and create measurable impact across their franchise systems.

Floor Coverings International was recognized in the Marketing & Branding category, one of five award areas that also included Products & Services, Operations & Technology, Human Resources and Franchise Development. Winners of the Franchise Development awards will be recognized in October at the Franchise Leadership & Development Conference.

For Floor Coverings International, the award comes at a time of significant momentum. The company signed 101 new franchises in 2025, marking one of the strongest development years in its history, and continues to move aggressively through 2026 with expanded territories, enhanced service offerings and a consumer experience designed around convenience, personalization, and trust.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the strength of our brand, the commitment of our franchise owners and the growing demand for a better way to buy flooring,” said Tom Wood, President and CEO of Floor Coverings International. “Our model is built around making the flooring experience easier and more personal for homeowners, while giving franchise owners the tools, technology and national marketing support they need to grow.”

Unlike traditional flooring retailers that require customers to visit a showroom, Floor Coverings International brings the showroom directly to the customer’s home. Its signature Mobile Flooring Showroom® carries more than 3,000 flooring samples, allowing homeowners to see colors, textures, and materials in their own lighting and alongside their existing furniture, cabinetry, and décor. The approach turns what can be an overwhelming retail experience into a guided, in-home design consultation.

That mobile-first model has become a key differentiator as homeowners increasingly look for convenience, transparency and expert guidance when making major home improvement decisions. Floor Coverings International’s local teams provide free in-home consultations, design recommendations, down-to-the-penny project quotes, and full-service installation management from start to finish.

The company’s franchise owners and installation teams manage each step of the process, including furniture moving, removal and disposal of old flooring, subfloor preparation, installation, trim replacement, and final cleanup. After installation, teams conduct a post-project inspection to confirm customer satisfaction, with workmanship backed by a minimum one-year warranty.

Floor Coverings International’s product portfolio includes hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and tile, carpet, laminate, tile, stone, and specialty flooring options designed to meet the needs of today’s active households. Through major brand partnerships, including its relationship with Shaw Floors, FCI offers thousands of design combinations for a wide range of budgets, styles, and performance needs.

A major focus for the company in 2026 is flooring built for real life, including pet- and kid-friendly products that are stain-resistant, scratch-resistant, moisture-resistant, and easier to maintain. The company also offers engineered and solid hardwood, waterproof luxury vinyl products, carpet systems with advanced stain protection, and porcelain, ceramic, stone and glass tile options for kitchens, bathrooms, living spaces and whole-home updates.

The Franchise Innovation Award underscores how Floor Coverings International has used brand marketing, technology, and franchisee support to strengthen its position in the home services sector. As consumer expectations continue to evolve, FCI’s shop-at-home model gives franchise owners a scalable way to serve homeowners with a more convenient, design-driven, and transparent flooring experience.

“Flooring is one of the most important investments homeowners make, and our goal is to remove the stress from that decision,” said Wood. “This award recognizes the power of a system that combines national brand strength with local ownership, personal service and a better customer experience.”

With continued franchise expansion, growing consumer demand and national recognition for marketing innovation, Floor Coverings International enters the second half of 2026 positioned for continued growth across the U.S. and Canada.

About Floor Coverings International

Floor Coverings International is a North American flooring franchise system specializing in a mobile, shop-at-home flooring experience. Through its Mobile Flooring Showroom®, local franchise teams bring thousands of flooring samples directly to customers’ homes and provide personalized design guidance, transparent pricing, and full-service installation.

The company offers hardwood, carpet, luxury vinyl, laminate, tile and other flooring solutions for homeowners and businesses.

Media Contact:

Sanderson & Associates

Rhonda Sanderson

[email protected]

847-612-9829