Classic Stone Design, Plantsville, Conn.

VERY GOOD

The real focus of Classic Stone Design is turning out a high-quality product; to that end, Barbuito is a very hands-on, in-the-shop kind of owner for his two-man fabrication crew.

“I lay it out with the saw man,” he says. “I help cut it. Then, I program the CNC and decide where we’re putting the seams on the job. And, if there are any problems with finishing a piece, I’m there, too.”

Click to enlarge Given his long experience in the industry, Barbuito not only remembers the time before diamond pads, but he’s not necessarily sold on them in every instance. That’s why Barbuito insists on polishing with stone when the edge is flat, and why he likes to train employees himself.

“I teach my guys to polish with the same method I did,” he says. “If you have a round edge, diamond pads are perfect, and you need that flexibility. With flat edges, polishing with stone gives you an incomparable finish where the edges are as flat as the surface. I tell my guys: That’s the result we strive for.”

When the company is selling against people who are still cutting slabs in the backyard, Barbuito acknowledges that it can sometimes to be a problem to compete price-wise in the market, but he’s lucky that his clients generally appreciate the extra effort that goes into their stonework.

“Of course, we do have some people where the bottom line is all that matters,” he says. “But, when they have an exceptional kind of job, then they use us.”

That’s where Charamut’s skills on the installs are so valuable. If the need arises, one of the people from the shop will go out to help with an installation, but Barbuito says more often than not it’s just the two Charamuts. Click to enlarge

“He’s very good at what he does,” says Barbuito of the senior Charamut. “Very good.”

One of the secrets to the shop’s success they’ve continued in their new venture is use of a cube van for job deliveries.

Barbuito says part of that is simply protecting the stone from the elements. However, the interior of the cube includes a U-boat design, rather than an A-frame.

“We can put the counters on a dolly or a cart, and since those trucks have pull-out ramps, we just roll it into the back of the truck at the shop, then roll it back off at the jobsite,” Barbuito explains. “It’s a lot easier than trying to carry it.”

It’s those little touches that have allowed Classic Stone Design to grow – despite the economy – and have left the partners wondering about their future. Barbuito is proud of the fact that his initial business plan projected $1 million in sales after the second year, and the shop is closing in on that target.