Happy customer

Great blog! I wanted shirestone the moment I saw it at a nearby kitchen store. Chad and Megan Carlson from T & H Construction in Minnesota were extremely knowledgeable about the product and did an exceptional job installing our kitchen countertops - it has held up well over the years. We get a lot of compliments from people wondering what the material is.

Shire Fire

Happy New Year to all from CounterStone Designs, LLC

At CounterStone Designs, we view Shirestone as a journey, not a destination. Things are always changing and we continue to work diligently to hone our craft and take it to the next level.

One of the first impressions we (my wife and I) had of Shirestone was the creative possibility of this medium. This is not just another countertop product. This product is only limited by imagination and creativity.

When I first met Matt and Debbie, I was impressed with their warmth, personality and passion. During our initial training session, Debbie volunteered to baby-sit our yorkie, as it was too cold to leave her in the car. On another occasion, my wife and I sat down with Matt for a six-hour marathon design session resulting with many new ideas and creative design paths.

One of the strongest pillars at Shirestone is their support staff. Brad and Nan have answered so many questions and made countless helpful suggestions. They really deserve major kudos for their effort, patience and resourcefulness, helping us to advance on knowledge and understanding of Shirestone products and applications.

When called by someone interested in becoming a dealer, I try to break it down to a simple consideration of two parts. First, there is the mechanical side. You need to have the skills to understand the basic fundamentals of construction and able to execute the necessary foundational requirements. Lacking this, it is possible to develop these skills and come up to speed. The second part is the artistic side. You have to understand color, texture and form. You need to be able to visualize and be creative. Shirestone is quickly becoming an art form. If the right side of your brain isn’t tingling when you see Shirestone, you may not be dealer material. There are also the financial, business and marketing facets necessary, and each person needs to be able to determine if they can meet these criteria.

At CounterStone Designs, we have combined Shirestone with the hand-forged ironwork that has been a passion of mine for years. This creates an amalgamation of mediums that is very distinctive and opens a whole new paradigm of design possibilities. We can create vanities and tables with a look that is just not available anywhere else. We welcome Shirestone dealers to contact us if there is an interest in custom hand-forged iron bases.

We wish everyone a fruitful year in 2010.

Best regards,
Moses & Vicki Schilling
CounterStone Designs, LLC
Oklahoma City, OK
405.250.7530

counterstonedesigns.com

Moving on in 2010

First of all thanks to everyone who has posted and shown support for this blog, for Shirestone, and the good positive effort most of us dealers have put into our businesses and everyday lives. As with any business or anything you do you get out of it what you put into it. I was always told that the one who works the hardest or the one who puts in the best effort will be the one standing on top in the end, and that's how I've run my business. Now is that time where we all need to stand up put in that extra effort and go that extra mile to overcome these obstacles, whether they be slow economic times, or negativity and false claims, Shirestone is an outstanding product and company that I'm proud to support and be a part of. So I say lets all look at 2010 with new eyes and new visions and go out and make this the best year ever for your business and your lives. For every negative comment you hear go out and try to get two positive things out of it whether it be two new jobs lined up, or meeting those new designers, or getting some new displays out there. Lets all keep working for the positive and good things out there and keep moving on in 2010!

My wife, Nan, and I have been involved with Shiretone since its inception. We are indendent contractors and have installed over 100 countertops, both residential and commerical. Most of or jobs are the result of referrals. We have received only praise about the product and our workmanship from our clients.

We are still amazed by the transformation a Shirestone countertop makes in a room. The degree of texture, addition of backsplashes and a unique ability to pull colors from the room almost always results in a "wow" from our customers.

Shirestone has met, or exceeded expectaions, with all of our installations and we have had many customers call us back for additional installations. By the way, rewards also come in the form of profitability.

In addition to our business we have been part of the technical support team for Shirestone for a few years. We have been available 24/7 and still are today.

Bradley Custom Countertops
(417)739-5387