Photography by Spacecrafting
Chuck Johannes
Capital Granite owner and CEO Chuck Johannes does stone differently.
For nearly 35 years, he’s been traveling the globe, scouring far-flung quarries from Brazil to Italy. He likes to spend time with quarry operators, scoping out what areas are delivering top-rated stone, ensuring he only buys the highest quality products. He also digs through inventory. “They don’t always show me everything they have,” Johannes notes. Sometimes a surprise missive arrives in his inbox, like his most recent discovery, Tempest Blue, a bold and exotic quartzite that he knew immediately he wanted the moment after he saw it. “I bought the whole block,” he says. “But I’m still going down to Brazil to look at it myself.”
There are advantages to being at the quarry with boots on the ground and coming to market with a stone that most other places don’t even know about, he says. Instead of following something he sees on the market, he prefers to be the one to bring it to market. And the relationships he has developed around the globe also ensure he gets the first crack at the latest, best quality.
Capital Granite offers full slabs of actual stone (in contrast, many fabricators don’t carry inventory) and a service that further sets them apart from other competitors. They provide samples that are cut directly from the inventory. Clients appreciate the ability to use these samples while they are developing projects.
To ensure each client knows exactly what to expect from a finished project, Johannes provides high-res digital photographs of the slab. He also offers a digital layout featuring the overall appearance of the complete piece for their home.
Capital Granite resurfaces finishes in leather, suede, polished, antique and honed. They will also make dialed-in recommendations based on the nuanced characteristics and qualities of the stone.
Johannes says his goal is to give his clients the best possible product at the best possible price. “My shop and installation crews are artisans,” he says. “My staff control the process from the quarry to your living room, and we do it with passion.”
