“We opened the shop and showroom to do our own custom work and to give people full service,” said Sgro. “We were originally in a very small location. Where we are now is much bigger.”

When Creative Stone Works first moved to the 6,500-square-foot Park Ridge site, it only employed five workers. Today it has grown to a total of 15 employees. This includes two installation crews and seven workers in the fabricating facility as well as office administration.

Primarily, the company focuses its efforts on high-end residential work in the Northern New Jersey area. It produces approximately 25 kitchens a month, according to Sgro. “We do about one a day plus about 40 vanities and 10 fireplaces a month,” he said.

The fabricating shop is furnished with a Terzago bridge saw and a Marmoelettromeccanica Master 3000 edger. The company runs one shift from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

While Creative Stone Works directly imports a portion of its material - including limestone and marble from Italy and Spain as well as Turkish travertine - it also receives slabs from larger distributors such as International Granite and Marble and Arc Stone. In total, the company keeps between 500 to 600 slabs in its on-site inventory.

“About half of our business is just importing,” said Sgro, adding that 70% of the company's products are natural stone while the other 30% is ceramic tile. The showroom is filled with samples of mosaic borders and patterns as well as 18- x 18- and 20- x 20-inch tiles, which are gaining popularity among consumers, according to Sgro.

In November, Creative Stone Works will be increasing the size of its facility by another 2,500 square feet. “Our goal is to continue to grow and keep on doing what we are doing,” said Sgro. “We never want to hit a dead end street.”

End box:
Creative Stone Works, Park Ridge, NJ

Machinery: Terzago bridge saw; Marmoelettromeccanica Master 3000 edger

Number of employees: 15

Production rate: Approximately 25 kitchens, 40 vanities and 10 fireplaces per month