John Pasquariello is the effusive owner of M2 Tile & Stone, a forward-thinking tile and stone retailer who represents a superior product line second-to-none, which can showcase every floor in any home, even accentuate a feature wall in a specific room which announces who you are and your own personal style. This unique retailer may be found just south of the 401, west of fashionable Yorkdale.
With 32,000 square feet of showroom and warehouse space, this is the place to be if you are a discerning customer with a taste for life’s finer things, looking to remodel a room or two in your home or build out a small professional office location.
Walk through the bright, well-lit, elegant, and modern showroom, you will not stop smiling: with every turn in this retail area, witness some of the finest product available from the Modena-region of Italy, from Spain, Brazil, Greece and even China. Everything is sourced, negotiated, purchased and imported personally by Mr. Pasquariello. He has a passion for all manner of materials that make up today’s distinctive collection of available product in this busy central Toronto facility.
Epoch Times sat down with the man himself shortly after he returned from a recent buying trip to Italy and as the phone in his office rang almost constantly, his small, loyal hand-picked associates allowed him to do something he is reluctant to do: discuss himself and this business without any interruption.
Epoch Times (ET): You have been in this location for a year now—every available tile is presented in an elegant and visually-appealing manner, making selection so much easier yet you state that things are still not finished?
M2 Tile & Design (M2): For me, I tend to think of most things as not yet complete. It’s not that I’m a perfectionist. I believe that life continues to be a work in progress—like this building. Our showroom evolves. It cannot be considered static. It’s organic, changing as required to benefit our customers and to ensure we present our unique selection of ceramic, porcelain, slate, and other assorted materials under the best possible circumstances.
ET: Spoken like a business person who understands his customers, his product—and his work environment.
M2: I’ve been in the tile and flooring business since I was a teenager. At the age of 19 I had the opportunity to run my own flooring business until 1992. From then, until opening M2 in 2007, I worked for other companies—watching and learning as much as I could about the business: products, styles of tiles, the sales and marketing process—but most importantly about people. M2 is the sum of everything I learned and experienced. We present what we believe will add to your home environment: to accentuate and complete the picture. Your home can and should, like you, make a statement.
Competition is a Good Thing
ET: In this part of town, there are other outlets some might consider competition. What is your opinion?
M2: If you understand your own business and your customers, you don’t think about other showrooms as competitors. We’re an alternative. I like to think that here we’re a notch or two above the big box stores. Where we have an advantage is our focus, our line of hand-picked products and of course, our people who make the difference in the whole process. We sell solutions. We can add a touch of class and flair to a room. We listen to what our customers are telling us and we make sure we hear them. Paying attention makes the difference. Every individual who walks into our showroom feels welcome. We make them feel important. If any individual asks for our advice, we'll provide it—but gently and with tact and respect—if the occasion calls for that. Competition? No, not really-more like we complement each other.
ET: Coming back to the new showroom—it really showcases your products. There are no end aisle displays, no walls of dusty boxes blocking a customer’s passage—in some ways, it’s almost like a gallery displaying fine works of art!
M2: Great care has been taken with how we present all our product. The more anyone can see, can touch for themselves, the better. Even our discontinued items are displayed in a bright, pleasing setting. It’s important that we show every available product to our customers: it makes the whole purchasing process much easier—for everyone. We encourage everyone to feel welcome the moment the doors swing open. In fact, with all our tiles being mounted on moveable display boards, if a customer would like to see a specific wall tile matched with a particular floor tile, it can be done in a moment—without any hassle or wasting of anyone’s time. That’s all part of our customer-first service.
An Unrestricted Trading Area
ET: Do you find your customers are all from the same part of the Greater Toronto Area?
M2: No, not at all. We have sold tiles as far north as North Bay, east to Bowmanville and southwest to Burlington. However, we have knowledgeable, innovative designers and direct customers alike coming in from Oakville, Markham, Richmond Hill, Forest Hill and Rosedale. Our doors are open to everyone looking for tiles of every description that will meet the demands of everyday life in any part of a home or professional office environment.
ET: In conclusion, how best would you describe M2 Tile & Stone?
M2: We like to say that we consistently provide quality collections of imported glass, stone and porcelain tile that compliment your individuality and style. We offer a wide selection of engaging designs, each one made with unmatched craftsmanship and the highest-quality materials to help you create urban spaces of extraordinary character.
If you are looking for porcelain, ceramic tile or a specific cut of natural stone for a floor or even a highlight wall in your home, consider visiting the expansive showroom of M2 Tile & Stone. Located at 26 Dufflaw Road, Toronto, ON, M6W 2W1 or call (416) 850-1045. http://m2tilestone.com/ Be prepared to view a tremendous selection of imported product that will fulfil your design demands and satisfy your wallet with a value-proposition second to none.
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