A person’s home is their castle. It’s their most important asset, and the place where they live and raise their families. So when the time comes to renovate, redecorate, or remodel that space, many homeowners want to turn to someone they trust.
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This is true of not only who they hire to do the work, but where they purchase materials from as well. And with more than 60 years of providing quality materials and service, Tile Showcase has built that trust with the people in the Greater Boston area.
A legacy of tile experts
This family-run business got its roots three generations ago in the tile installation industry, branching out into distribution in 1963 when Anthony Merullo Senior began expanding on his father’s reputation as a quality installer by opening Metco Tile Distributors. Tony understood that the people in Boston wanted quality products and choices for their homes, so he began offering a vast selection of products imported from around the world.
In 1980, Tony built a 10,000-square-foot showroom on Arsenal Street in Watertown, Tile Showcase’s first location — a place where homeowners and trade customers could come to see and experience these beautiful products themselves.
Over the years, Tony’s sons Fred and Joe began working for the company, expanding its offerings, opening a showroom in the Boston Design Center, and putting a bigger focus on teamwork, community, and customer service. It’s important to the company and everyone who works there to be able to give homeowners and trade customers the best possible experience.
“Most of our staff comes from a design background, and the company was established initially as an installation company,” explains Fred Merullo, Tile Showcase’s president. “So we have a lot of background in all aspects of the tile industry. Because of this experience, we can help people select the right product for their lifestyle and their aesthetic.”
It’s this background that allows Tile Showcase to go above and beyond for its customers. From their beautiful displays to the extra steps they take in their customer service, Tile Showcase has been helping to beautify homes in Greater Boston for decades. In doing so, they’ve had the chance to build relationships with the people who live and work there. It’s not uncommon for customers to return again and again when new projects arise — not only trade customers, but homeowners as well.
A customer-centric showroom and warehouse
Stepping into a Tile Showcase showroom is like stepping into a gallery featuring beautiful and unique art. The staff understands that the tiles can’t simply be placed on a shelf or even set on a display board — homeowners need to see the products as they would in their own homes. That’s why each vignette is designed to give the viewer a better understanding of how that tile will look installed. And each display shows ways that the tiles can be grouted and combined to achieve their best appearance.
The display boards themselves are easy to move and manipulate, giving customers the chance to pair them together or place them next to samples of their wall colors, kitchen cabinets, or countertops. And with lots of beautiful, natural lighting, it’s easy to get a sense for the true color and finish of everything you see.
In 2021, the Merullo family redesigned their Watertown showroom again, moving it to a new location at 204 Arsenal street, and creating a new space where the layout and lighting can let visitors see and experience the tile like never before. This new showroom is backed by the company’s warehouse in Southborough, which gives the company an even greater flexibility in offering products and amazing customer service. The Warehouse Outlet offers deals on the same, high quality products found in their showrooms in a quick, cash and carry model. This enables customers on a tight timeline or budget the ability to access products they might not otherwise find.
The warehouse itself also lets the company provide services other tile suppliers cannot. “Tile is not the type of product where you can just pick a product online and ship it and think it’s going to be the right item for your project,” Fred Merullo explains. “If it comes in and 50% of it is damaged, who do you call? Who do you go to? Tile is one of the most fragile products that are shipped by truck. We take the time to inspect and look through all the products before we ship it to its final destination.”
It’s these extras that help set the company apart even from other local companies who may have beautiful showrooms, but who lack the infrastructure and background to do things like consolidate shipping or offer design services to their customers.
Expert advice from experienced design consultants
The design consultants, many of whom have been with the company for decades, also set Tile Showcase apart. They’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with their customers and understand the needs that go into choosing the right tile for a home or business. Every design consultant that Tile Showcase hires comes from a design background, and they then go through rigorous training to ensure they understand not only the products, but the fact that Tile Showcase’s emphasis is on the customer and their wants and needs.
Rather than selling someone a tile that will bring a high commission, the design consultants are encouraged to find the tile that will best suit the client, with the understanding that they’re building a relationship with their customers, one that they want to nurture for hopefully years to come. This emphasis on customer service is what Fred attributes to the company’s success. “They’ve put their trust in us,” he says, “and that’s really important to all of us.”
Combine that customer-first mindset with accolades like a 2023 “Best of Boston” award by Boston Magazine, and you’ll see why Tile Showcase has struck a winning formula.While the convenience of internet shopping and the low cost of big box stores have their benefits, a proven community retailer will often have satisfaction and advantages that outstrip any competition, which is why Tile Showcase continues to be many Greater Boston residents’ first choice.
Learn more at tileshowcase.com.