nrsevich Not sure where the original owner purchased this Hickory floor - we purchased this unit over 2 years ago - but I can tell you that there was almost no protection on the floor hence the very light color. These floors had weathered quite a bit and we have very recently had them redone with a clear non-glossy finish - three coats I believe. Here is a picture of the floors now taken from the other side of the kitchen. You will see that the color is now more what people would associate with a Hickory floor.
Basically, what I am trying to say is that this original color was achieved by not placing a protective coat on the floor as the original owner had wanted a "weathered" look.