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CONSTRUCTION
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The Industry’s Newspaper Littlefield Fountain University of Texas
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(210) 308-5800
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Volume 15
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Number 9
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SEPTEMBER 2016
Carved in stone
Professional plumbing
Bobby and Stacie Simpson are celebrating 20 years in business as Quality Stone Company.
Doug BerryAnn makes sure his company and employees take professionalism in plumbing to new heights.
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t’s been 20 years that Quality Stone Company, located just north of Austin in Florence, has been providing quality stone products to the residents of Texas and beyond. Opened in 1996 by Bobby and Stacie Simpson, there have been some changes in the interim. For one, Kirk Coyne became an investor in 2005 and the company has also added a thin veneer stone to its list of products. “A thin veneer saw cuts a thinner version of our chopped limestone,” Stacie says. “Cutting the stone thinner helps with some jobs that do not have a footing and don’t have the footing for the heavier stone. It is also good for interior type applications, such as fireplaces and
interior kitchens.” When the Simpsons started the company, they had one employee – now the team is up to 16, consisting of a mechanic, truck driver and pit crew. Bobby, quarry manager, has been in the stone business since he was a child, when he worked at his father’s company as a laborer and then a truck driver. Stacie, office manager, says the company’s goal to get it right the first time is what keeps customers happy and coming back. “Our philosophy has always been to do it right the first time,” she says. “We want our customers to leave our office with the confidence that the stone will be continued on Page 17
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oug BerryAnn was born in upstate New York, but a stint in the U.S. Navy led to a job in the semiconductor business. As part of that job, he was sent to Austin for six months to train people and he just never left Texas. “I lived in Austin for a long time, but once we had our first child, we wanted more space so we moved to the Bastrop/ Smithville area 11 years ago,” BerryAnn says. “I actually hated my job in the semiconductor business – I was sitting at a desk wearing a shirt and tie.” His neighbor happened to be a plumber and that grabbed his attention. He lined up nine interviews and found out he loved it so much he spent the years from 1998-2003 working his way
from apprentice to getting his master’s license. “I worked as much overtime as possible and went to school at night,” BerryAnn says. After starting one company in 2007 in Bastrop, BerryAnn closed it down after a failed merger and opened Doug’s Plumbing in Smithville in 2014. His philosophy towards his customers is simple – exceed their expectations. “I want to be the ‘Hyatt’ of plumbing,” he says. “When they call, they generally have an emergency. We go out at no charge and give them a price with no obligation. That way, they are not on the hook.” continued on Page 17
On the menu today: TacoDeli expansion and reno
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hen Austin’s Robert Espinoza couldn’t find Mexican food in the Austin area that contained the special flavors and tastes he had become accustomed to while living in Mexico City and the Rio Grande Valley, he decided to open his own restaurant. In 1999, Espinoza opened TacoDeli on Spyglass Drive and Barton Skyway. He was soon joined by partner Eric Wilkerson and the two have since opened four additional locations in Austin, one in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and have plans for more. TacoDeli #1 on Spyglass opened as a 750-sf specialty Mexican food restaurant that quickly became a hit with residents, as well as visitors to the famous Barton Creek Greenbelt –which is directly across the street. It was remodeled and expanded in 2007 and went up to 950 sf, Wilkerson says. Now, in its third expansion, the res-
taurant is going up to 1,500 sf and the general contractor for the project – as well as almost all of the other stores, is J. Grace Inc. J. Grace Inc. owner and founder Larry Guthrie says the three-month, $450,000 project was completed in July. According to Guthrie, the project includes the expansion, as well as building on the restaurant’s rustic theme that gives a nod to the green space across the street. A decorative I-beam, exposed black iron steel and other touches are part of the project, as well as drywall, masonry and tile. Guthrie, as well as designer Mike McCann, have worked together on many of the TacoDeli projects and say this particular project had a couple of challenges. “One of the challenges was the weather – the rain we received delayed TacoDeli #1 in Austin has received a brand new look and remodel.
continued on Page 17