In 1997, the company moved its head office to Naperville, IL, where it opened a second showroom, warehouse and fabrication plant. “There were tremendous challenges,†said Ashley Kent, marketing manager for CGM. “The Chicago stone market was in relative infancy, and stone was a novelty. Only the rich and savvy could afford stone as a means of adding value and beauty to their homes. Many builders were not terribly enthusiastic about going for what was perceived to be an expensive option for their residential constructions. However, it was a very exciting period, which offered us the chance to be bold and visionary. We relished the opportunity to introduce some great new ideas into the market. Most custom homebuilders responded at first with caution, and later with warm embrace. They found that their residential constructions sold quicker and at higher values when they featured granite and marble applications -- especially kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities -- than other surface materials. Suddenly, these builders who had offered natural stone as upgrades began to offer it as standard. That was a defining event for the market and for CGM.â€
Today, the company has multiple locations in Chicagoland, an extensive inventory of stones and a new state-of-the-art fabrication plant. It strives to be a full-service operation, offering a “one-stop shopping experience with selection, fabrication and installation of natural stone slabs and tiles.â€