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ANTIQUESTONE. Interviews with Grady Leroy Smith, Jr. (b. 1937) and James M. Dyke, Jr. (b. 1949)

Oral Histories

OHB 0095

SMITH, GRADY LEROY, JR., President, Antiquestone, Inc., Bertram, Texas. Family background; experiences working with father for Trafton Tile Company, Austin; self-employment in the tile installation business, 1966; description of tile installation procedures; entry into tile manufacturing business, 1967; partnership with James Dyke, Jr. And Sr. to form Antiquestone, Austin, 1973; company relocation to Bertram, 1979; description of tile-making process; responsibilities of president of company; personnel practices; comments on new design introduction; differences between Antiquestone’s cement tiles and other companies’ clay tiles; comments on government regulations; description of product distribution; civic activities; factors in developing successful business. DYKE, JAMES, JR., Co-owner, Antiquestone, Inc., Bertram, Texas. Family background; father’s employment in tile business; work with father’s Monarch Tile Service; comments on Austin distributorship for Terra Firma tiles; involvement as co-owner of Antiquestone, Inc. And struggles to develop business; description of first large sale for Phoenix shopping mall; purchase of 18,000 square foot plant, 1980; comments on worldwide distribution of tile; views on personnel and mechanization of company; comments on advertising of product; civic activities.
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