Providence Business News June 4-June 10, 2001
Built on stone, his business is never dull

Walk the Johnston yard of A-Stone with company founder Arnaldo Abatecola, and it’s not hard to see why Abatecola still comes to work every day, almost a decade after retiring.

"There is never a dull moment with stone," he said. "Every piece is different. It’s a living thing made by God."

Abatecola, an Italian immigrant, started his stone business almost by accident. In 1965, while still working full-time at a Providence factory, Abatecola started landscaping part time to earn extra money.

The business became full time in 1968.

It was through landscaping that Abatecola first found an interest, and later an inspiration for his stone business.

"I was building wall and driveways with stone, and some of the stones were not available to me, "he said. "I started to import the stone that I needed because there wasn’t a stone company in the area at that time. Why stone? Because I believe in natural products."

He became so successful importing stone that Abatecola was forced to make a decision – continue the landscape business or begin a new business in stone.

"I was selling to my competitors," he said. "You aren’t able to compete when you are burning the candle from both ends."

So he decided to focus on the stone. Today, the company carries more than 500 different types of stone.

"I think that we are in the infancy in this country when it comes to stone," he said. "It’s a natural product, that works well and isn’t easily destroyed. There is nothing else like that. I think that (this business) did something toward the promotion of stone here."

But with that promotion has also come competition – something that doesn’t scare Abatecola.

"I think competition is good; it keeps you sharp," he said. "It’s also good for the consumer."

And while the initial business was focused on outdoor types of stone like cobblestone and tile, much of the company’s business now comes in the form of countertops made of granite.

"I like the outside," he said. "But I would say 75 percent of our business is the inside stuff."

Managing growth has been one of Abatecola’s greatest challenges as one piece of equipment alone can come with a half-million dollar price tag.

"When you are growing the business money is tough," he said. "There are so many expenses and not enough income."

While Abatecola said he "is not in sales", he is an intricate part of the finished project – helping to shape pieces of stone to meet the customers demand.

"Customers come in and tell us the approximate size of what they are going to need, and we price it for them," he said. "Our prices must be okay because 95 percent of the time they sign up. When they sign up we go to their house and make templates. Out of those templates we, make the products."

The whole process takes about two weeks, Abatecola said, depending on scheduling.

"Our main thing is that we are a strong hand in business," he said. "We are sincere. We don’t promise things we can’t deliver. You can only fool someone once."

Most of the company’s customers are contractors and landscapers, Abatecola said, resulting in repeat business.

"We do both residential and commercial," he said. "We have done a good job. We are nice. That is why people keep coming back."

It hasn’t always been easy. Abatecola admits he spent a lot of time away from his family in the process of establishing his business.

"I had to sacrifice something," he said. "I worked 18 hours a day. When the sun was out, I was in the field working, and at night I was doing the books. That’s the hardest thing for me."

But his sacrifice has one major reward – two of Abatecola’s three children – Paula and Linda are at the helm of the company today.

"At 64 I started to think that it was the time to let my children take over," he said. "We sat around the table and talked openly about it. It was time for me to back off. It was easy for me because they were interested in it. They still ask me a lot of questions."

And though he may no longer own the company, it doesn’t stop Abatecola from coming to work everyday.

"It’s easy," he said. "I look at life in a realistic scene. We are only here for a short time. I was fortunate my kids are fantastic and very instrumental for growth."