The Stone family have been in the gravel and concrete business for many years, but on Wednesday they’re opening a retail location on South Broadway to better serve their customers.
Kathy and Daren Stone have run gravel pits in the area for 17 years, and they’ve been planning the expansion several years.
Stone’s Landscape Decor was born out of a popular demand for rock that can’t be found in this area. Only gray granite is quarried here.
“We get lots of calls for colored rock,” Kathy said.
At the new store, customers will be able to find new colors of granite gravel like Arizona gold and sunset gold. It will also offer palomino gold crusher fine for trails.
Kathy attributes the demand, in part, to more people in the area landscaping their yards with drought conditions in mind.
The 3,200-square-foot store will also offer a colorful range of yard art, including wind chimes, bird houses and sculptures such as a dog-size praying mantis.
Some may remember the location as the home of the couple’s rock business six years ago. Since then, it moved to Highway 145 and will continue to supply wholesale buyers.
The new store will be managed by the couple’s son, Casey Stone, who owns, Rocky Mountain Sprayliners next door.
The couple’s business, Stone, Concrete and Gravel has been growing. They currently run three gravel pits and six years ago expanded to include a concrete batch plant.
Business has been good for the couple, who also supply gravel to well pads in the area and for driveways to new homes.
“Spring has been busy,” she said.
mshinn@cortezjournal.com