Happy Mother’s Day..Have Some Granite

What does Mom really want to receive this Sunday? According to Diane Brinton and daughter-in-law Janet Reeve, forego the chocolate and flowers for a granite countertop.

The Daily Herald reported Brinton co-owns Tile Outlet in Orem, Utah with Reeve, and said that usually wives and mothers just want to "fix up their house" for Mother's Day.

"[Wives] tend to spend more time in the kitchen than their husbands do, and so it's really nice for them," Brinton said. Brinton said that in the year the Orem store has been in operation, they've installed close to one million pounds of granite in Utah County's homes. The store specializes in tile and many other natural stones.

"We have a motto around here," said store general manager Leslie Ochoa. "We always say, 'Give her the rock she deserves.' "

Tile Outlet tends to notice a surge in sales around spring and fall, when people start wanting to remodel their homes Brinton said. The small staff works advising individuals on color choices for their homes. But that's not all they do. Brinton, Reeve and Ochoa are certified to handle forklifts, and Ochoa said that until more help is needed, they will continue using their own muscles to move merchandise around the shop.

The experience brought through the door is diverse, as Brinton worked as a nurse for 17 years and a marketing business until she retired. Once she retired, Reeve, who had worked in construction and marketing, approached her with the opportunity to take on the Tile shop. The two own the store in Orem as well as a store in Draper.

"This is really a fun business," Brinton said. "It's all about helping people create new environments for themselves."