Success Story: Finance
A New Home for a Growing Business
Dale Austin has realized a dream with the start of construction on a 20,000 square foot building that seemed a long way off a few years ago.
Currently the Austins run their business out of two locations. Their shop, Romancing the Stone, is near Sunriver where all of the custom cutting of granite and marble takes place. Their 1400 foot showroom is located off of Greenwood and Irving in Bend. Because the business has grown so much they have to store product off site until the completion of the new building.
The new design center at the corner of Empire and Layton will house a showroom with full design services, the fabrication shop and warehouse. The showroom will be a work of art itself featuring tile and stone concept panels.
ìTile and stone are the most exciting part of a new home. It is a permanent part of the interior design and when done properly is pure art; artistry never becomes dated.î This commitment that Dale Austin has to the craft helps make their company unique; couple that with their huge selection of imported stone and exclusive lines of tile, and their ability to customize at their own fabrication shop and you have a very special business.
Dale Austin has been an entrepreneur from the time he was 16, starting various businesses while just a teenager. It was while traveling with a friend who worked in the tile industry that he became interested in the installation and artistic application of tile. He ended up apprenticing in the tile industry and retains that same enthusiasm in granite, marble and tile.
Austin Tile and Marble started out with just Dale and his wife, Dana, in 1993. They have since grown to a company of 16 employees and are known in Central Oregon as specialists in granite, marble and tile.
Partnership with SBDC
When Dale Austin was asked about the help that he received from the SBDC, he said that running a business can be chaotic. The SBDC has helped him become a better business person; they have taught him how to make good use of his time, have a better awareness of his goals and his advisor helps keep him on track during their monthly meetings. ìI think the world of our advisor, he is knowledgeable about business. I appreciate the fact that he took the time out of his life, sharing his depth of expertise, to teach and help many businesses to grow.î
Greatest Success so far ñìThe ability to deal with the future. Fashion evolves and customers become more sophisticated all the time ñ our goal is to stay fresh, innovative and unique.î |
