Nothing official has been announced yet — apart from a mid-December tweet — so readers of ThePerryNews.com will be among the first to learn that Grimes-based Quality Marble and Tile will open its production facility in Perry after the first of the year in the former location of Walt Anderson’s Perry Machine and Welding at 1401 W. Fourth St.
“As you can see, we are moving to a complete new location,” tweeted Quality Marble and Tile Dec. 15. “Our new showroom will open Jan. 3. Until then our office is still working. Stay tuned for more updates with Rocky.”
Rocky is Quality Marble and Tile’s Christmas elfin mascot, and he seems to run the show this time of year.
Quality Marble and Tile has operated out of its Grimes workshop and showroom at 3900 S.E. Beisser Dr. since 2000, when the company was formed by Des Moines business people Zeljko Francic and Hajrudin Kahrimanovic.
A good supply of stone and tile has been moved to the new Perry site, and workmen were seen Wednesday afternoon at the old machine shop, now filled with new machines for stone working.
Walt and Marlagene Anderson sold the machine shop on Frog Creek three years ago, and the place has been pretty quiet since their retirement party Aug. 23 2014. Andersen bought bought the shop in 1967 from Earl White, keeping the name, Perry Machine and Welding, and carrying on the business at 1401 W. Fourth St. When he retired, Andersen was Perry’s sole backsmith, holding the record for the longest tenure in the trade.
A Quality Marble and Tile spokesperson said a grand opening is planned for early in 2018.
