Tile Outlet offers granite as present to Moms

NORTH COUNTY STAFF | Posted: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 11:00 pm

Rette Speight

With Mother's Day fast approaching, an Orem business hopes to provide women with what they really want: new granite countertops.

Diane Brinton co-owns Tile Outlet with her daughter-in-law Janet Reeve, and said that usually wives and mothers just want to "fix up their house" for Mother's Day.

"[Wives] tend to spend more time in the kitchen than their husbands do, and so it's really nice for them," Brinton said.

Brinton said that in the year the Orem store has been in operation, they've installed close to one million pounds of granite in Utah County's homes. The store specializes in tile and many other natural stones.

An average kitchen requires about three pieces of granite, which equals about 900 pounds Brinton said. The most popular colors are "tropical brown" and "China gold" depending on how much light the kitchen receives.

"We have a motto around here," said store general manager Leslie Ochoa. "We always say, 'Give her the rock she deserves.' "

Tile Outlet tends to notice a surge in sales around spring and fall, when people start wanting to remodel their homes Brinton said. The small staff works advising individuals on color choices for their homes.

But that's not all they do.

Brinton, Reeve and Ochoa are certified to handle forklifts, and Ochoa said that until more help is needed, they will continue using their own muscles to move merchandise around the shop.

The experience brought through the door is diverse, as Brinton worked as a nurse for 17 years and a marketing business until she retired. Once she retired, Reeve, who had worked in construction and marketing, approached her with the opportunity to take on the Tile shop. The two own the store in Orem as well as a store in Draper.

"This is really a fun business," Brinton said. "It's all about helping people create new environments for themselves."

Although no official training has been received to help create those new environments, Brinton said that the experience in the store is more than enough to qualify them.

Ochoa was brought to the Orem store after working in the Draper branch for two and a half years. Her husband works installing the granite that she sells in the shop.

One of Brinton's favorite remodeling experiences was to convert an old church into a home. They have also done other creative jobs such as installing a granite countered craft room.