With a family-oriented atmosphere and decades of industry experience, the owners and employees at All American Stone & Turf said they seek to provide a personalized level of customer service largely absent from big-box stores.

“You keep people happy, and you do [the job] right—that’s where we get the word of mouth from customers,” Manager and Turf Specialist Daniel Baker said. “Without that good relationship and doing it right the first time, you aren’t going to get a good recommendation because people will go down the street [to a competitor].”

In November 2011, Mark Walker took over ownership of All American Stone & Turf from its previous owners who operated the business at a 1-acre location along FM 2978 for about 15 years. The Walker family, who operates a grass farm in Crosby, began selling grass tracts to the former All American Stone & Turf owners in 2006 before they were able to purchase the company’s assets five years later.

As the demand for services continued to grow, Mark and his son, Brad, relocated the business to its present-day 7-acre plot along the frontage road of FM 1488 in 2013. The business installs grass at customers’ homes in the Greater Houston area and primarily services Magnolia and The Woodlands for select tree and plant installations, Brad said.

“[The new location] allows our customers to move more freely throughout the yard, the inventory and the plants,” Brad said. “It’s a more open and inviting location for homeowners, kids and families to walk around and feel at home.”

In mid-2014, All American Stone & Turf constructed a 3,600-square-foot office space and incorporated a secondary on-site business, Shades of Texas, to offer wholesale and retail nursery products for customers, such as various plants and flowers, Shades of Texas owner Jon Mathews said. His son, Jon Gabriel Mathews, said he grew up in his father’s nursery and oversees the trees and plants for the business.

After beginning his career in the grass farming industry in 1985, Mark said he forged a business partnership two years later with Jon. In 1978 Jon began operating his now 150-acre nursery in Pasadena.

“We carry [products] you won’t see everywhere,” Jon said. “We plant [our products] in soil that adapts well to the native soils around Southeast Texas.”

Baker said he attributes much of the business’ year-round growth to the expansion of area residential development. The business receives new shipments of fresh grass from Mark’s farm two to three times daily, he said.

“We’re focused on offering the best service,” Brad said. “If there’s any concerns that [customers] may have, we want to guarantee they are happy at the end of the day. We’re just as much homeowner-friendly as we are landscaper-friendly.”