The 23,000 square-foot plaza houses Capital Stone at Saratoga, Signature Kitchens of Saratoga, Best Tile and Jafri Oriental Rugs.

Paul Sicluna, owner of Capital Stone at Saratoga and the property of the plaza at 4295 Route 50, says he has had the idea for a while. The plaza is called the Saratoga Design Center.

“We are all very knowledgeable about what we do,” Sicluna said.

He said they refer customers to the other businesses in the plaza.

Sicluna said he started with the granite shop in 2000 and has dealt with the other businesses prior to them coming to the plaza. He wanted the shops involved to be filled with local people and businesses that have been established for awhile.

“We are constantly getting new ideas and designs that people will find very interesting,” he said.

Moira Durivage, showroom manager of Best Tile, has been in the plaza for two months and has gotten nice traffic so far.

She’s noticed people on the weekend visiting all the locations before leaving, giving them a “one-stop” shopping option.

“We are all experienced,” Durivage said.

Best Tile has been around for 50 years, she said.

“We can walk the customers through the process and have a design staff that compliments our selections,” she said.

Signature Kitchens of Saratoga’s inspirational designs have been in business more than 20 years.

Owner Michael Bannon said he moved his business from across Route 50 and opened in the plaza two weeks ago.

He said the move made a lot of sense for his business.

“I’ve done business with Best Tile and Capital Stone for many years,” Bannon said. “It just made sense to make the move and be sandwiched between those two businesses.”

Turab Jafri, owner of Jafri Oriental Rugs, says both have kept him in business for 28 years. This year marks something new for Jafri though – a new store.

Jafri said 30 to 40 percent of his business at his Wolf Road store is from Saratoga County, Glens Falls or further north.

Jafri said a lot of interior designers he works with wanted him to open another store and his clients were looking for convenience. Working with designers in the Saratoga market, Jafri said the need for another store was there.

Sicluna said there is room to expand and isn’t ruling out the possibility of one.

Capital Stone at Saratoga

Sicluna said the majority of his business was new homes, but right now they are doing a lot of renovation work.

“People are renovating instead of buying new,” Sicluna said. “Renovating is catching up with new home building.”

Each counter is custom made to the client’s kitchen or bathroom, Sicluna said. From start to finish it takes about three weeks to complete a countertop.

There are hundreds of slabs to choose from, marble, granite, slate and granite are a few examples.

“Sometimes the biggest part is having the customer decide what they like,” he said.

Sicluna said they help the customer design the kitchen and go to their home for the measurements.

A renovated kitchen adds to the resale value of a home too.

“The kitchen and bathrooms are big items people look for in a house,” he said.

Best Tile

Durivage, showroom manager of Best Tile, said builders in the region have sent people in, but the rest has been word-of-mouth.

Best Tile has tiling for the whole house and has accessories - switch covers, shelving and other fixtures - to compliment the tiling customers choose. Kitchen, bathroom and fireplace tiling are the staples, but outdoor patios are becoming more popular.

Ceramic, natural stone and porcelain are a few of the products Best Tile carries.

She said renovating and improving the home is a big part of their business, but they do have some local builders that utilize the store.

Durivage said they can bring home tile samples to check them out in their home before purchasing. All of the flooring in the store showcases more than 25 examples of tiling so the customer can see what it looks like in more of a display setting.

Durivage said all of Best Tile’s counter tops are done by Capital Stone.

“We all work together,” she said.

Signature Kitchens of Saratoga

Michael Bannon, owner of Signature Kitchens of Saratoga, said they have a fairly established clientele and a lot of local contractors recommend customers to them. Bannon said they have six different cabinet lines, five lighting lines and a small line of tiles and countertops.

“In the last year a lot of our work has been remodeling,” Bannon said.

He said the economy has driven people to stick with their home and make upgrades. A representative of Signature Kitchens will go to the client’s home, get measurements and make recommendations on what they need.

While each client’s needs are different, Bannon said it is more cost-effective to renovate the kitchen all at once.

“It just makes it easier for the customer,” he said.

For the most part people are still living in their home during the renovations and getting it all done at once saves on the ripping out of old cabinets, prepping and installing.

Bannon said kitchens have become more like furniture as opposed to a separate room. They are more centrally located and often times are larger with the dining room attached.

“I’m finding people are staying home and entertaining more too,” Bannon said.

He said the concept of an island in the kitchen is a popular trend also.

“Kitchens are a big feature in a house,” he said.

With a lot of older homes in the area, Bannon said remodeling will always be strong in Saratoga.

Jafri Oriental Rugs

Jafri said his commitment and love for the business have kept him in it for so long.

He credits the popularity of Oriental rugs to designers and builders. He said more new homes have wood flooring in them, making a need for some coverage on the floors.

“Oriental rugs used to be a product for rich people, but that isn’t the case anymore,” Jafri said. “Prices have come down.”

Oriental rugs can last for a long time and Jafri said they become a part of the home.

“People have learned they are a good investment,” he said. “You can take it with you if you move and keep them forever. They become family heirlooms.”

“Plus Oriental rugs add a beautiful atmosphere to your house,” Jafri said.

He added they can become topics of conversation too.

He gets his rugs from India, China, Turkey and Afghanistan. People look for a selection when choosing a rug, because it becomes a piece of their home.

“I have between 3,000 and 4,000 rugs in the store,” Jafri said. “We cater to everyone. We have high and low-end rugs.”

Jafri Oriental Rugs provides cleaning, restoration, free appraisal and carries a wide variety of Oriental rugs.

“Restoration and cleaning keeps us busy all year round,” Jafri said.

Jafri said with all the inventory of his hand-made rugs, people should just come in and see what his stores have to offer.

“Our quality, prices and number of rugs get people to drive out of their way to find the right rug,” Jafri said. “We give people a choice.”