Slippery Rock Gazette

Shannon Carey

Photos provided courtesy Smokey Mountain Tops

Above: Todd Scott, owner of Smokey Mountain Tops, stands in the company’s Knoxville, Tennessee, showroom. Smokey Mountain Tops has more than 80 employees at two locations, Knoxville and Nashville.

Above: Smokey Mountain Tops outfitted this residential kitchen in Black Pearl Granite for the island, and quartz for the custom wrap-around countertops.

Over the years, Smokey Mountain Tops has become a go-to name in stone in Tennessee and throughout the southeastern U.S. Owner Todd Scott will be the first to say that this success isn’t just his. It’s owned by the whole team, now 85 employees strong in two locations, Knoxville and Nashville.

Projects like the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium club levels, the Grand Ole Opry, the personal homes of many Nashville music celebrities and athletes, skyboxes and locker rooms in Bridgestone Arena and Miami Heat Stadium, have heaped accolades on Smokey Mountain Tops.

But just as important to the Smokey Mountain Tops team is the one-on-one project for a single homeowner.

“Whether it’s Neyland Stadium or your bathroom, we treat every customer, every project, the same,” Scott said. “We pride ourselves on making sure that at the end of the day people want to do business with us.”

Starting Out and Making it Big

Scott started out in 1993 with brother Tim. At the time, they were doing business as Scott Labs, installing laboratory equipment, including solid-surface counters. Scott “gravitated towards commercial” and they split off a separate company – Smokey Mountain Tops – to sell a Corian-type product for commercial and residential projects.

“Back then, there was no direct-to-customer,” he said. “There was limited opportunity for people to put in a showroom and sell it. We started selling directly to the public, and things started booming.”

Soon, a friend approached Scott about a new product: quartz.

“He said, ‘It’s going to be the next big thing, and we’d like you to promote it for us,’” Scott said. “There were no quartz products in the state. I researched what was available and we became an exclusive dealer. We opened the shop in Nashville and were the Cambria rep there. We helped grow that brand throughout the state.”

The project that launched Smokey Mountain Tops into the big time was their first Neyland Stadium club level, Scott said. When they won the bid, the whole team was energized.

“I think everybody was excited,” Scott said.

They came up with an idea for a football table crafted from custom quartz, cut the stone in the shape of a football, and added inlay for the lacings.

“It was high-end and unique and showed the quality and technical aspects that set us apart,” he said.

Today, the team has many UT projects under their belts and they’re about to finish the Neyland Stadium east skyboxes in the next three months, including a wet bar, seating and quartz countertops.

Weathering the Bust

When the housing market bust happened in 2008, Smokey Mountain Tops felt the hit just like everyone in the building trades. And like everyone who made it through that time, their business model changed so they could survive.

Suddenly, the orders from homebuilders for multiple kitchens in a development dried up. So, Scott and his team turned their attention to individual homeowners.

Above, Left: The project that launched Smokey Mountain Tops into the “big time” was this club level at the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. The football tables are crafted from custom quartz with inlay to make the lacings. Above, Right: Detail of one of the inlaid UT football tables.

Above: Smokey Mountain Tops crafted the White Carrara Marble countertop at the exclusive Draper James women’s clothing boutique in Nashville, Tennessee.

Above: Closeup of Black Pearl Granite island. This kitchen also features quartz wrap-around countertops.

Above: This long, curving bartop at the Lexus Lounge in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, is formed of Cambria Quartz.

“We changed our business to become a lot more customer friendly,” Scott said. “Now, it seems like almost every project we do is customer initiated. We had to re-educate, set new expectations and become more user friendly. We had to make it easier to buy from us.”

That included expanding project selections, improving the showrooms, and adjusting communications from a customer service standpoint. In fact, Smokey Mountain Tops now has an entire customer service department.

Part of the effort towards selling to the homeowner included branching into different product lines. Smokey Mountain Tops still values and carries Cambria, but they offer Caesarstone, Hanstone and natural stone.

“We’ve started to analyze who’s doing what and purchase quality products at competitive pricing,” said Scott. “It gives the customer options. You can spend $40 per foot or $400 per foot. To us, it’s all countertops.”

Great Equipment, Great Team

Scott said Smokey Mountain Tops tries to stay ahead of techniques and processes in the industry, incorporating the best machinery and technology available. Both locations have Northwood and Park Industries equipment, including SawJets and CNCs, Marmo Meccanica edge machines, and more. They use Slabsmith software for efficient slab inventory control, countertop layout and processing. It allows them to produce vein-matched cuts so the stone pattern matches up. This helps to conceal seams when the countertops are installed. Both shops are MIA certified for safety.

But, it’s the team that makes the magic happen.

“I could have a $400,000 piece of equipment, and if the guy running it doesn’t know what he’s doing, it’s useless,” said Scott. “The quality of the equipment has made it easier to put out a quality product. What hasn’t changed is if you don’t have people who understand the equipment, don’t know how to set up and maintain it properly, it’s not going to perform.”

Employee development and education is a priority at Smokey Mountain Tops.

“For the last six or seven years, we’ve really focused on trying to put people in positions where they’re going to excel,” said Scott.

Scott mentioned Mike McGrady, one of the first sales reps at the Nashville location, now general manager in Nashville with 40 employees to supervise. He also gave kudos to production managers Jeff Brown and Greg Fairchild, Knoxville general manager Jason DeBord, and controller Emily Horner.

“We’ve got great people,” Scott said. “All of them have contributed in one way or another. I think when you’re blowing and going and trying to be successful, one of the hardest things is taking the time to thank everybody.
It’s their sweat equity that’s made us successful. That’s what we’re proud of.

Looking Ahead

Scott said Smokey Mountain Tops has many exciting projects ahead. In 2016, “we’re focusing on brining more value-added products to our customers from quality manufacturers.”

And of course, the team will keep honing their excellent customer service and technical skills.

“I don’t think there are any secrets to our success,” said Scott. “I hope that we keep thinking outside the box, staying ahead of the industry and putting the customer first.

“They’re our best sales force.”

For more information, visit  www.smokeymountaintops.com .

Above left: This impressive reception desk at SESAC performing rights advocates in Nashville, Tennessee, is Caesarstone Quartz from Smokey Mountain Tops. Above right: Marble countertops grace this residential kitchen by Smokey Mountain Tops.