In order to meet the desired aesthetic, Arezzo Cobblestones, a tumbled travertine, was selected for the flooring featured throughout the store. The stone was fabricated by Stone Tiles International and distributed by Virginia Tile Co. of Farmington Hills, MI.

The product was selected for its Old World look, according to Kathi McWilliams, creative director at JGA, Inc. of Southfield, MI, the retail design and architecture firm for the project. “As the project objectives related to the company's heritage, this stone reflected a traditional European feel,” she said.

The floor
sealed with Refresh Pro[tm] by TEC Specialty Brands
was designed in a pinwheel pattern using 16- x 16- and 8- x 8-inch pieces.

McWilliams said that they had considered integrating the travertine with a mosaic, but that the costs were prohibitive.

Virginia Tile Co. supplied 700 square feet of stone for the retail store, according to Laura Carlson, who added that there were not any complications involved with the project. “The stone was shipped directly to the site,” she said. “We had the product in stock, so the job was easy and efficient.”

The architect admitted that the installation process for any project could pose challenges. “Knowing that you have a contractor that is precise throughout the installation process is key to the success of the finished stonework,” said McWilliams.

With Groom Construction of Swampscott, MA, serving as the general contractor on the job, the installation was deemed a success. According to Scott Faulkner from Groom Construction, the stonework took three workers a total of three nights to install. “Considering how small the project was, 90 man-hours is a lot,” said Faulkner. He added that it was hard to fill in all the tiny holes that come with such a fissured stone. “We had to grout all of the cracks to prevent dirt from getting in them,” he said. Faulkner also said that it was difficult to cut the stone because the pieces had to be cut on the site as needed with a wet saw. In addition, he said that working in a high-trafficked mall atmosphere is often challenging, and as a result, most work has to be done at night.

Construction lasted a mere three months from May to July of 2004.

“The client is pleased with the design and has gotten great feedback from its customers,” said McWilliams. “The project is also being recognized by the National Association of Stone Fixture Manufacturers with an award for its unique wall rail fixturing system
to be presented during GlobalShop on March 21st.”

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