In this issue of Stone World, we are featuring three unique Fabricator Case Studies, covering shops in New Jersey, Minnesota and Ohio. All three of these shops are family-owned and operated, and while that fact is certainly not unique among North American stone fabricators, their individual stories each offer a lesson on rallying in the face of an adverse economy.
Our Fabricator Case Studies begin on page 46 of this issue, with an article on Stoneshop of Cherry Hill, NJ, which is owned by Linda and Steve Stelmaszyk. The couple had operated Westwood Tile & Stone for more than 25 years before selling the company in the mid-2000s with the intention of retiring. However, when the shop closed down in 2010, the Stelmaszyk got back into the game — purchasing much of the equipment and re-opening the facility under the name Stoneshop. They also brought back many of the original employees. Today, Stoneshop is a well-run fabrication facility, tile showroom and stone gallery.