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Carmel Magazine HO15

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SHORTCUTS NEIGHBORS 70 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 5 Carmel Stone Expands Upon Solid Local Foundation R obbie Robinson worked as a surf and scuba instructor in his native Australia, Indonesia and Hawaii before settling in Carmel 15 years ago. Family ties and the Monterey Peninsula's scenic beauty lured him here, but once he arrived, he found the bay itself ill-suited to his former career. "The water's cold here," says Robinson. "And I wanted to do something more mainstream." Because he'd previously dabbled in construction, Robinson was intrigued by the sale of a 900-square-foot tile store in the Barnyard Shopping Village. He purchased the place and founded Carmel Stone Imports in 2000. Within a year, he expanded the business; a few years later, he opened an additional Sand City space. Carmel Stone Imports debuted a third location in 2013, adding a 60,000-square-foot Palo Alto showroom now stocked with millions of dollars' worth of natural stone tiles, mosaics, moldings and slabs. "We import from 10 countries," says Robinson, ticking off a list of his top sellers and trending products. Stylish, durable Calacatta marble, which he calls the Ferarri of natural stones, comes from the mountains of Tuscany. Jerusalem Collection limestone slabs and tiles hail from Israel. Other limestone arrives from Portugal, Spain, France and Turkey, while granite slabs originate in quarries across Australia, India, Italy and Brazil. "The big draw is that we deal in beautiful, beautiful things. The stone, particularly the marble and granite, is artwork. Every piece and every block is a little different," Robinson says. As Carmel Stone Imports marks 15 years in business, he's proud of the company's ever-growing product selection and pleased with the evolving balance between wholesale distribution and retail sales. Robinson also enjoys creating commercial success in his own backyard. "We're a company born in Carmel, and we've been able to grow from here into the big city markets," he says. "I take a lot of pride in that." For store locations, product overviews and information on Carmel Stone Imports, please visit www.carmelimports.com or call 831/583-1011. —Renee Brincks Australian Robbie Robinson came to California in 2000 and bought a small tile store in The Barnyard Shopping Center. Carmel Stone Imports now has three locations in Carmel, Sand City and Palo Alto, featuring high-end slabs and tiles. Photo: Kelli Uldall

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