The high-end residential market is a bit of a quagmire for the stone industry. While there is certainly money to be made there, the individual homeowners can be quite demanding on a stone supplier. With this in mind, MRD Associates decided not to take any chances in dealing with this market. Rather than subcontracting its fabrication work to other firms, it opened its own shop specifically for the high-end residential market.

"People were coming to us with requests, and we didn't have control of fabrication," explained Mohanna Rao Dandamudi of MRD. "Now we have the knowledge and experience to do more difficult jobs." The fabricating shop, called Granite Innovation, was established in 1994 in Elk Grove Village, IL. Recently, though, the operation moved to Chicago, only one mile from the famed Merchandise Mart, where the company has a showroom.........

Using material from MRD, which represents Gem Granites of India, Granite Innovation offers 40 to 50 different varieties of stone. Although Indian granite is the company's specialty, the company has worked with some marble and other stones on request. Granite Innovation's customers include builders, general contractors, homeowners and designers Rao said, adding that the company's client list includes Chicago Bulls basketball star Michael Jordan, who used Sapphire Blue granite in his home.

Dealing with the high-end residential market has made the company a "very service-oriented business," Dandamudi said. "It's not a matter of opening and closing a store on time." The key to success is maintaining strong communication between the company and the client, Rao said, adding that its location in the Merchandise Mart gives the company the opportunity to educate clients. "Stone has always been a tough sell in Chicago," she said. "But over time, we've learned what is right." When supplying a residential project, the client is present during measurements, and stone is never sold based on a sample, Rao said. Additionally, all clients literally sign their names on a slab before it is fabricated. "From a practical standpoint, it develops trust, but it also ensures that the proper stone is used," she said. "It takes more time, but it makes the client feel more comfortable."