Minneapolis Idea Home featured work of a local business

MINNEAPOLIS — Jean and Tom Eaton opened Granicrete Minnesota nine years ago, after their son found Granicrete while looking at options for his own kitchen. Granicrete International has been in business for 11 years.

Jean Eaton said they initially took a Granicrete class and became hooked, and are now a Granicrete distributor, training center and installer. Six years ago, the Eatons expanded their territory to the whole state of Minnesota and opened a Minneapolis showroom. She said their business opened a larger showroom in Golden Valley and moved its Albert Lea showroom last year. It hopes to finish its new Albert Lea showroom this spring.   

Granicrete Minnesota has been a part of the Minneapolis Home + Garden Show for the past five years, winning Best of Show last year for its booth. The organizers of the show asked the Eatons and Granicrete Minnesota to take part in the 2017 Idea Home after their win last year.

Jean Eaton said they started meeting monthly with the organizers in October 2016 to plan out this year’s Idea Home, and it took six days to build the house in preparation for this year’s Minneapolis Home + Garden Show. Granicrete Minnesota was allowed one day to set up its part of the 2017 Idea Home — which included two bathroom sinks, a kitchen sink and backsplashes for a kitchen range and cabinet — before having to set up its own booth in the show.

Jean Eaton said they’ve already been asked to be a part of next year’s Idea Home, and she said they look forward to the opportunity.

“We were honored to be asked to be part of the Idea Home,” Jean Eaton said. “Being in the Idea Home set us apart from other concrete overlay companies. It was a fun experience, working with the other companies in the building industry on this project and doing some innovative things that we don’t usually get to do.