OR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE ABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE ABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE ABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR • FOR THE FABRICATOR product per year from a single production shift, with most of the work being wholesale to kitchen and bath dealers, builders, remodelers and box stores. The company also handles a few light commercial jobs and a small amount of walk-in retail business. About 80 percent is done in stone or quartz, 15 percent in solid surfaces and 5 percent in laminate, with half from remodeling, 30 percent from light commercial and 20 percent from new construction.
“By discussing the industry with our peers and sharing our experiences, opinions, advice and suggestions we are able to make intelligent
decisions and can try to avoid the problems and pitfalls others have already experienced.”
Recent projects have included Daughter’s House (Bowling Green, Ohio), Davis Street Building (Findlay, Ohio), Lima Memorial Hospital (Lima, Ohio), St. Rita’s Medical Center (Lima, Ohio), Habitat For Humanity (four Northwest Ohio locations), McDonald’s Restaurants (more than 20 Northwest Ohio locations), Norwalk Fischer Titus Center (Norwalk, Ohio), Olander Park (Sylvania, Ohio), Scott High School (Toledo, Ohio), Toledo Hospital (Toledo, Ohio), Browning Masonic (Waterville, Ohio), and some remote Disneyland projects. “Our equipment, software and personnel allow us to service a large market area,” commented Langenderfer. “We try to stay within a market area that allows our installers to travel and install in a single day, but our days sometimes get pretty long.” The Countertop Shop primarily services northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, but on occasion ventures into Cleveland and Cincinnati. It also takes on special projects for current customers that also have projects in the local area, and have shipped as far as California and even traveled to Philadelphia for a large retirement project. But perhaps a better way to define a business is not where it has been, but where it is going, and Mike and Karen Langenderfer have plenty of goals for the company.
Photos by Rick Volkman
Looking Ahead The main goal continues to be living by the company’s mission statement of meeting all customers’ expectations. And with the growth the business has experienced, it is a safe bet those goals are being attended to. “By educating customers and helping them with all the decisions that have to be made when ordering a countertop, we try to make them feel as good about their purchase as we can,” said Mike, outlining his customer philosophy. “We try to set all appointments for templating and installation around the customer’s schedule to make their countertop purchase as stress-free as possible.” However, when asked about the future of the company, Langenderfer’s answer is introspective with hints of both solid planning and malleability. “I think I am a pretty good listener and I only say that because that’s where we are headed,” he put forth. “I try to listen to what the customers, my peers and the market are saying. Then we try to stay on the crest of the wave. Our long‐term goal is to continue to be a vital part of the local business community by modestly growing the business and offering leading-edge products and services to our customers.” And that seems to be a good reflection of the past, present and probable future of The Countertop Shop. For more information, contact The Countertop Shop at 10406 Geiser Road, Holland, Ohio 43528; phone (419) 868-9101; website www.thecountertopshop. net; email mike@countertopshop.net.
International Surface Fabricators Association • Vol. 5 / Issue 2 1 • 33