Published: Wednesday, Jun. 21, 2006
Courtesy photo by Kelsey Productions
A display is seen in the showroom at Barcelona, Tile, Stone & More on Amherst Street in Nashua. Type of business:
Design with tile and stone. Countertops made of granite,
limestone,
marble, as well as high-tech products such as solid surfaces and laminates. We provide custom fabrication and installation of our products for fireplaces, kitchens and bathrooms. We also do tile installations.
Location: 419 Amherst St., Nashua, NH 03063.
Contact name: Crisel Gendron.
Phone: 579-9600.
Date began business in southern New Hampshire: Oct. 28, 2005.
Is this a franchise? No.
Owner: Crisel Gendron.
Days/Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Number of full-time employees: 3.
Highlights of products and services: Able to install granite countertops in 10 days. In addition to carrying a large array of natural stone products, Barcelona has product offerings to include solid surfaces, laminates, sinks, plumbing fixtures and hardware. By combining the existing stone business with the new product lines, Barcelona can provide a wide range of kitchen/bath and flooring materials for all applications, including countertops, vanities and fireplace surrounds.
Backgrounds of the key leaders: Crisel Gendron is from New York City and is first generation American as her family is originally from northern Spain. She spent 10 years in New York City selling both stone products and providing interior design consulting services for kitchens, baths, foyers, etc. These projects ranged from small one-room apartments to large homes and businesses.
After moving to New England, she spent another four years in the stone business, at the Tile Mile in Watertown, Mass., and other locations in New Hampshire. Given her passion for natural stone and talent for design, she decided it was time to open up her own business.
History of this business: This location began as United Tile America (headquartered in Watertown, Mass.). Gendron worked for this company in Watertown and then managed the Nashua location up until United Tile America decided to exit the New Hampshire market. The opportunity to purchase the business came up and she immediately took advantage of it.
What's the biggest challenge facing your type of business, and how are you approaching it? The biggest challenge the business faces is trying to stay competitive with the "box" stores.
The important thing for customers to know is that the box stores do not get the same quality and handpicked products that a smaller designer store receives. By providing higher-quality products as well as personal, custom-design services, this business can achieve a large market share.
What else should the readers know about your business? This is mostly a word-of-mouth type of business.
Because clients are so satisfied with the outcome of their projects many of them come back as repeat business as well as send referrals.
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 | | Marble | MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS
This standard includes general information on the characteristics
and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems
associated with the material.
INTRODUCTION
Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite
(CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of
limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic
processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone
with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite
porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high
polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and
sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially
polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects
of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed,
is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is
readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the
actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the
acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds
react differently with marble and produce various by-products,
which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability
of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine
the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration.
Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the
other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid
attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the
brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red,
yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition.
TYPICAL USES
Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for
outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture
it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative
features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is
used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of
exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the
feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not
the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage
to which marble is susceptible. | |  |
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