Classic Stone LLC, Indianapolis

By comparison, the recent recession has been fairly kind to the duo, who bounced back from that layoff by launching Classic Stone LLC in Marsh’s hometown of Indianapolis.

Click to enlargeAfter starting their business as wholesalers and installers for Cambria, in 2008 the partners decided to expand by purchasing an existing natural-stone fabrication shop – and its assets – on Indy’s southeast side.

And, as a result, their network of clients – mainly kitchen-and-bath dealers, remodelers, builders and cabinet companies – is pleased by the expanded product line.

While Marsh says these days the most difficult thing he and Weddige have to do may be keeping all the balls in the air, they aren’t planning to slow down. Next up are improving their showroom and integrating tile into their operation.

PARTNERS

It’s sometimes hard to remember – in light of the current recession – that the 2000s experienced other economic undulations. For Marsh and Weddige – two young men with growing families – their crash occurred in mid-February 2004.

At the time, both worked for a company selling equipment to the countertop-fabrication industry. Marsh was based in Denver and covered the Rockies, while Weddige was based in Chicago and served the Midwest. Their acquaintance was mainly from working the booth for their employer at tradeshows. Click to enlarge

It was also a time when the stone industry was starting to heat up, although it hadn’t reached its subsequent popularity across the entire country. Marsh says he could see stone and quartz countertops taking hold on both coasts, and one day he decided to call Weddige to see what business was like in the heartland.

“I probed him about some of the competitors and what kind of equipment people were buying and the average kitchen size,” Marsh says. “After about 30 minutes on the phone he stopped me and said, ‘So, you’re thinking about opening up a shop.’ He saw right through me, but I told him I was just kicking it around and we left it at that.”

Then came that fateful day (an actual Friday the 13th) when Marsh received the notice he was being laid off. The next morning, Weddige called to ask if his friend was still thinking about starting a business – because he’d also received his pink slip.