Granite and marble surfaces for kitchens, baths and home decor are still a top pick with today's home buyers, and Susquehanna Marble and Granite, 4885 Lycoming Mall Drive, Montoursville, has choices, for every budget and project size, according to owner Bob Spangler.
The business, which began locally in 2007, focuses on educating customers and providing top-notch service, Spangler said.
"It's our No. 1 priority," he said. "We don't want you to be happy; we want you to be wowed."
With 11 employees with combined experience of more than 100 years in the industry, Spangler said stone surfaces remain popular with home builders and buyers.
He said the presence of granite countertops in a home can make or break a sale. They're also one of the very first things potential buyers ask Realtors about what's in a home, said Spangler.
Some people even instal granite countertops when flipping a house for added appeal, he said.
"It definitely adds value to your house," Spangler said.
Susquehanna Marble and Granite has 60 selections of granite in stock, but can always get more for customers. Spangler said the company installs other surfaces, like quartz, but granite seems to be the most popular choice.
"We're very heavy into granite," he said, adding that customers get the best value for the money with that surface.
"There's all kinds of options. We try to take the work out of it for the customer and make it an enjoyable experience," he said.
Spangler said all the pieces for installation in customers' homes are fabricated at the Montoursville business.
"We're a 100 percent custom shop. We don't prefab anything," he said. "It doesn't come out of a box."
Affordability is easier than ever with new computer-aided technology to form custom surfaces, Spangler said.
"The price of granite has come down. It makes it very affordable," he said.
Susquehanna Marble and Granite is very much a family-run business, with Spangler's two sons Bob Jr. and Chris wife Mary and daughters-in-law Katie and Katherine Spangler working at the business.
Bob Sr. said he notices a "tremendous amount of remodeling going on," especially in the northern tier where some families are receiving royalties from gas leases.
"That's of the things people do first put a new kitchen in," he said.
Many of the granite slabs used are from Brazil, India, Italy and Spain.
Susquehanna Marble and Granite is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday with appointments available, and can be reached at 368-8870.
