Whether you’re building a home, renovating or just looking to do a small upgrade, a visit to Atlantic Stone & Tile’s showroom is sure to provide inspiration.  Located off U.S. 1 just south of International Golf Parkway, Atlantic Stone & Tile features some of the world’s most beautiful tile, stone and mosaics. The company started in 2009 as a broker of tile and stone for large commercial projects nationally then opened its St. Augustine showroom in March 2012 to service local homeowners, designers and builders.  Owner Tim Jackson has specialized in tile import, distribution, wholesale and installation for more than 20 years.  We recently talked with him about Atlantic Stone & Tile.

Q: Why do most clients seek you out? AST supplies the most beautiful tile and mosaics in the world. We seek out fresh materials on a regular basis and set the trends in design and application. AST is the only wholesaler and specialty tile supplier in all of St Johns and Flagler Counties. We have clients that travel from all over North Florida to our showroom because our selection so unique and of a higher quality then other suppliers.  This location saves local designers, custom builders, tile contractors and the clients they work with the time and hassle of traveling to locations like Jacksonville, Orlando or Atlanta for similar selections.

Q: What are some of the latest tile and stone trends in home design? Anyone who has owned wood flooring in the past knows the nightmare issues that come with scratching, swelling, water damage and constant care. AST offers the nicest selection of “American Made” wood porcelain plank tile – an incredible wood-look porcelain tile that is beautiful and absolutely maintenance free. This isn’t the run-of-the-mill tile you find at the home-centers and carpet stores. This material is by far the nicest porcelain wood plank material on the market and we move a lot of it. We are the exclusive supplier, so it’s very likely if you’re buying it elsewhere it’s still coming from our warehouse here in St Augustine. AST also moves thousands of square feet of travertine tiles and pavers. We have several quarries that we buy from in Turkey and Peru. We are constantly looking for better quality and better pricing.  Most people have never seen a quality piece of travertine and still compare our pricing with the garbage they may see in home-centers. AST supplies some of the largest distributors in the nation with travertine, which is why we can negotiate such deep discounts on such stunning, high-quality stone.

Q: Customers must find it hard to choose from all the beautiful options! That’s where our Lead Sales Designer Lorie McCaroll comes in!  She assists some of the best interior designers, architects and custom homebuilders in Northeast Florida. Her work can be found up and down the East Coast as far north as New York and Connecticut. She has an incredible ability to create gorgeous designs even when the client is on a “shoestring budget”.

Q: Why did you choose this area to live and work? It’s no secret in the import/export arena that Jax Port has one of the most technologically advanced systems in the world and has proven that it will be a contender to other major ports throughout the United States in years to come. Since importing plays a major part in our success, we felt Jax-Port provided us the logistics we require to run a more efficient and profitable business with our global partners.

Also, with the future growth models of Ponte Vedra, Nocatee and World Golf Village, we felt this area was going to be the best fit for a wholesale supplier of Atlantic Stone & Tiles stature. On a personal level, we fell in love with the rich history and European charm of St. Augustine. Plus, St. Johns County’s A-rated schools were a big factor for my family and I when we decided to make our home here.  We are excited to be a part of such a wonderful and diverse community and look forward to playing a roll in making local homes and businesses that much more beautiful.

Atlantic Stone & Tile is located at 6370 US-1 North, Bldg #9 in St. Augustine, FL.  Visit the www.atlanticstoneandtile.com or find them on Facebook where you can see some of their latest tile and mosaic collections.