From personal AI agents shopping for countertops to customers templating their own kitchens with a smartphone, the stone shop of 2030 may look very different from the shop of today. That is the vision laid out by Rich Katzmann of Thrive Innovations, who joined the Stone World Podcast to discuss his company's recent report on the future of the stone shop.

During a session at Coverings, stone restoration experts shared experiences and advice about repairing stone countertops.

U.S. imports of countertop materials totaled $302.7 million in April, down 10.6% from the same month a year earlier, according to data from the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Porcelain and sintered stone slabs rank among the most misunderstood materials in the countertop industry, but fabricators who learn to work with them are opening a revenue stream that is not going anywhere.