MEMBER SPOTLIGHT –––––––––––––––––– sponsored by When Westside Tile & Stone, Inc. opened in Canoga Park, Calif., more than 10 years ago, it sought to open up a different type of tile store. The goal was not only to focus on the products it showed and displayed, but also the educa- tion that came with it. “Educating not only our retail customers who come into our store but also the contractors who are the ones actually setting the tile was a huge importance to us,” said Steve Slutzah, Westside Tile & Stone (www.westside.tile.com) owner. “We continually offer semi- nars and host a litany of events in order to educate contractors on the proper ways to install all types of tile in all sorts of scenarios. We hold round-table seminars and bring in some of the best con- tractors in the city to discuss the currents trends, issues, and recom- mendations on how to install some of the most intricate mosaics and even large format slab tiles.” The store has always strived to be the best store tile store in the Los Angeles area, Slutzah said. “We have established ourselves as having the most exten- sive selection of glass mosa- ics and water- jet mosaics in the area, plus the technical know-how in terms of how to properly install the tiles, and k n o w l e d g e of the prop- er applica- tions for those m a t e r i a l s ,” he explained. “Many of our clients appre- ciate the fact that we know not only which materials will look best in their homes, but also the proper adhesives and installation methods to insure they receive what they are ultimately looking for in terms of look.” In the store’s 11-year history, it has California store combines stellar product selection with education for flawless tile installation Westside Tile & Stone Steve Slutzah with his dog Sonny, and NTCA trainer/pre- senter Robb Roderick study up on the TCNA Handbook during a recent NTCA Workshop. 46 TileLetter | July 2017