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

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

Oral Histories

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.
Date of Interview: March 15, 1984 to March 16, 1984

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