In December 2002, the company was sold, and then in January 2003, adopted its current name: Empire Today. It was acquired by the investment company Mercury Capital LP. In 2016, the company was sold to H.I.G. Capital, a private equity firm, for an undisclosed amount.

H.I.G. CapitalEmpire Today / Parent organizationH.I.G. Capital is a Miami, Florida based private equity and alternative assets' investment firm with $59 billion of equity capital under management. The firm operates a family of private equity, growth equity, credit/special situation, primary lending, syndicated credit, and real estate funds. Wikipedia

Empire Today LLC (commonly referred as Empire Today) was founded by entrepreneur Seymour Cohen in 1959 as Empire Plastic Covers, a private, family-owned business in Chicago from a small office space.

Elmer Lynn Hauldren (April 1, 1922 – April 26, 2011) was an advertising copywriter based in Chicago who was best known for originating the Empire Man.

Charlesbank Capital Partners Empire Today Has Been Acquired by Charlesbank Capital Partners. William Blair acted as the financial advisor to Empire Today, a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital (H.I.G.), in connection with its sale to Charlesbank Capital Partners. Management and an affiliate of H.I.G. made significant investments into the business.

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Empire was founded in 1959, and since then we've helped generations of families improve their homes.

3,000 B.C.: The Egyptians develop stone construction, and stone and brick floors begin to appear. 2,000 B.C.: Rugs are on the scene in one form or another. 1,000 B.C.: The Greeks create pebble mosaics for their floors. 400 A.D.: Wood floors were first used by people in the Middle Ages.

When buying your hardwood flooring, make sure to ask where it's manufactured. 70% or more of the hardwood flooring being sold is manufactured in China, where there are almost no regulations.

(CBS) -- The man who became an icon to Chicagoans as the Empire Carpet Man has died at the age of 89. Elmer Lynn Hauldren was the pitchman for the Empire Carpet, now known as Empire Today, since 1977.

89 years (1922–2011)Lynn Hauldren / Age at death

In 1959, Empire Today started out as a small, family-run business in Chicago, Illinois. Since then, Empire has expanded to offer their friendly and extensive services in over 70 locations across the country including Chicago, New York, and L.A.