I figured I would tell everyone a little about my day job. I am a second generation self-employed licensed tile contractor. My company is of course, Stover Tile and Design, and my lovely wife, April, does the books for me. I have had my license for close to 5 years now, but I have been doing tile just about my whole life.
I learned how to do tile while growing up and working with my father, David Stover, who did business as Stover & Sons Tile. After 4 years in the Marine Corps and season of being a ski bum and driving snocats grooming runs at June and Mammoth Mtn, I moved back to the central coast and started working full time for my Dad again. I met my now wife April and eventually got my own license to do tile. I still worked for my Dad at first, but the added license was a great benefit. He ended up getting out of tile and buying another business, Tydix Products, and I continued doing tile under my own business name. (Here's a pic from 4 years ago, of my dad and I on one of our last jobs together.)
I have been blessed to have been able to work with some great general contractors and for some great home owners. Some of the projects I have got to work on have been amazing, really challenging, and fun. I try to add my own artistic touch to all my jobs. Here is a slideshow of some of my work from the past.
A couple years ago, my brother and his fiance, asked me to make a cakestand out of travertine for them. They could not find a square cakestand that they liked that would go well with their cake. I figured out how to make one and that was my first "piece" I made. They still use it daily in the center of their dining table and for all the birthday cakes. When work slowed down recently, I finally took the plunge and took everyone's advice and started making more pieces to sell and that is how I ended up with my etsy and artfire shops.
That's the quick and easy version of how I came to be in the tile business and how my online shops came to be. Enjoy the pictures and feel free to ask me any questions. :)
I often think the best artisans are the ones who had their trade passed down to them. The photos of your work are quite impressive!
ReplyDeleteVery lovely tile work, Chris! That is fantastic that you were able to continue your father's biz as your own and even branch out!
ReplyDeletenice. it makes me want to have the tiles in my bathroom and kitchen redone.. they are so dated!
ReplyDeleteI love that pic of your father and you!
ReplyDeleteYou have always done beautiful work. maybe some day I'll fly you down to do some for me or my parents!