Rising to the Occasion
From its products and services, to its people, to the in-home experience it provides to each client, Colonial Marble & Granite makes key investments to “get to the next level.”
by Bill Donahue

Since its founding in 2008, Colonial Marble & Granite has become one of the largest fabricators of stone in the Northeast, if not the largest. Despite its size and position of prominence, Colonial Marble & Granite has been able to retain the nimbleness of a much smaller enterprise, blessed with the creativity and commitment to self-improvement needed to excel in such a competitive landscape. 
 
“We’re a customer-service-driven company, and we have always tried to rise to the occasion,” says Sandra Phillips, senior vice president of sales, marketing, and design for Colonial Marble & Granite, which is based in King of Prussia. “We’re constantly adding new products and services. As we continue to grow, we’re asking an important question: How do we continually get better and get to the next level?”
 
Colonial Marble & Granite got its start in countertops, but customer demand has propelled the company to branch out into ancillary products, such as tile, sinks, flooring, and cabinetry. The family-owned and operated company also greatly expanded its design capabilities, both in and out of its sprawling King of Prussia showroom; in fact, the company now offers the option to bring the entire design process right into a client’s home. 
 
“Evolution is nothing new for us,” Phillips adds. “People used to come in here and say, ‘Can you do my whole kitchen?’ We would have to say, ‘No, but we can do your countertop.’ We don’t have to say no anymore. The leaders of this company had a vision for what Colonial could be. As a company, we have pulled that vision together under one roof, and we’re not done yet.”
 
One might even say it’s only just beginning. For example, Colonial Marble & Granite will soon roll out an interactive call center to facilitate client feedback and streamline the installation process. 
 
“It’s almost like a VIP service,” Phillips says. “When our staff goes out to the client’s home for an installation, someone from the call center can talk to the client while the installers are in the house. Before, if there was any issue with an installation, the client would have to submit a ticket and wait a few days for a response. Now, they get an instantaneous experience. For the small percentage of jobs that have any kind of issue, the client can give us that feedback and work with us right then and there to figure out what the resolution looks like.” 
 
The call center will become increasingly vital as Colonial Marble & Granite expands its design team and continues to enhance its in-home services. That said, the call center represents only one mode of interaction. Phillips says clients will have multiple ways to connect with Colonial Marble & Granite, including a revamped website that has an online portal with “chat” functionality.
 
“Some clients will want to spend $100,000 on a kitchen, while others will look to spend $1,999 on a new countertop,” she adds. “No matter how much they’re spending with us, we want to make sure everybody feels like they have been heard, like they matter. We’re basically taking something good and making it better.”
 
Colonial Marble & Granite foresees more growth ahead for 2023. The company recently forged partnerships with the likes of American Standard and Grohe, and Phillips says clients are likely to see an expanded showroom alive with “more products that were never available in this area before.”
 
Going forward, the company intends to march boldly into “smart” technology for kitchens and other areas of the home. 
 
“It’s a very exciting time for us,” Phillips says. “We have a sister company, Colonial Smart Home Services, and we’re looking into how we can have these companies work more closely together to deliver what customers want in terms of smart-home functionality. We want to maintain the core of our business, and enrich and build upon it, sprouting out to meet the demand from our customers.”
 
Ongoing training of all members of the Colonial Marble & Granite team, from sales and design to fabrication and installation, is a priority for Nikos Papadopoulos, the company’s president.
 
“Nikos wants to enhance every aspect of the business by focusing on the people we have in place,” Phillips adds. “We want to give the customer the perfect journey—the products we have, the experience of walking through the showroom, the quality of the fabrication and installation. By investing in our people, we’re making strides to give customers an even better experience for the future.
 
“We have everything you can imagine,” she continues. “In addition to natural stone from around the world, we have partnered with key manufacturers of quartz to provide everything under one roof. Each stone has its unique attributes, and that’s where the training comes in. Not only will our staff be able to tell the story of the stone, but they can also help someone determine the best stone for them based on their wants, needs, and lifestyle.”
 
If there’s a theme for Colonial Marble & Granite in 2023, it’s one of evolution—the evolution of its products and services, the evolution of its showrooms and other spaces, and the evolution of the people who serve as the company’s backbone.
 
“There are so many untold stories that happen at Colonial, and we’re bringing those stories to the public this year,” Phillips says. “What I think people forget sometimes is that this is a family-owned business. Nikos leads the charge, along with his father, Tom, his mother, Pam, and his brothers. This is what they love to do. They’re a part of every process, from sales and design to operations, and they treat everyone who works here like family. As big as Colonial has become, it still has a family-owned vibe, and that’s a beautiful thing.”
 
Colonial Marble & Granite 
colonialmarble.net
 
475 S. Henderson Road
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 994-2222
 
768 Corporate Circle
New Cumberland, PA 17070
 (717) 774-2110 
 
2000 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 732-7800
 
240 S. DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 947-3000
 
Photo by Nina Lea Photography
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, December 2022.