Peninsula Building Materials

Teamwork Forms Peninsula's Cornerstone

By Kay Wilthew

In the 84 years Peninsula Building Materials (PBM) has been in the building supply business, the Morey family has learned a thing or two about customer service and loyalty. Founded in 1923 by Harry Morey, Jr., the business has spanned four generations of hard-working family members. The company's long history of customer service and quality materials has earned PBM a solid reputation in the natural stone, brick and general building materials market.

This magnificent 20-foot towering three-arch arcade exemplifies the innovative and imaginative use of a traditional building material in the PBM Masonry showroom. (Photo courtesy of Peninsula Building Materials)

A panoramic view of the new Peninsula Building Materials (PBM) Masonry showroom. The PBM showroom features over 300 varieties of natural stone and brick transformed into house fronts, fireplaces, fountains, seat walls, countertops and even a working pizza oven. (Photo courtesy of Peninsula Building Materials)

Marty Morey, Vice President and the founder's grandson, notes that with locations in Sunnyvale, Redwood City, San Martin, their Mountain View showroom and a future 10-acre Livermore location, "We offer service from the Northern California Wine Country south to Big Sur." But PBM's service area is not limited to California. The sales team has generated interest in many western states, including Hawaii. "We'll strike out and go wherever we can," indicates Morey. PBM's core customer base comes mainly from referrals by professionals who have successfully partnered with the company and experienced their quality and service firsthand.

The PBM outside sales team is comprised of experienced professionals, ready and able to provide the right products and solutions for your projects. (Photo by Bruce Schneider)

The family-oriented foundation of the company is of fundamental importance, even for the many employees who are not part of the Morey family. Roxanne Kohlin, recently hired Showroom Manager, describes the attitude as "All for one, and one for all." The secret to the company's success, according to Kohlin, is how well the teams work together. "We aren't commission driven, so we all work hard to succeed together, a philosophy that is very highly stressed. It really makes the company stand out from the competition." The true benefactors of this camaraderie are PBM's clients. Custom requests are met with teams of experienced professionals who consistently find a solution or a quarry able to provide any type of product. Kohlin continues, "This ability to do something so unique, yet so relatively easily is something that stands out for PBM."

Expert craftsmanship and creativity are highlighted in these full-sized façades in the PBM Masonry showroom. The chimney of the Storybook House illustrates a stone vine crawling up with its roots firmly set in the paving below. The whimsical exterior of the Craftsman House combines both brick and stone in an extraordinary yet traditional fashion typical of the Arts & Crafts era. (Photo courtesy of Peninsula Building Materials)

(Photo courtesy of Peninsula Building Materials)

Morey is proud of the quality and variety of materials PBM provides its customers, while maintaining competitive pricing. "We try to carry a larger inventory of stone and brick than anyone else in Northern California. Our exclusive relationships with quarries allow us to offer products other suppliers can't, and we work with quarries to supply custom materials for those artisans who 'think outside the box' and want something unusual." Seeing the completed arrangements craftsmen and masons create with PBM's materials is extremely satisfying. Morey's preferred jobs are high-end custom residential clients who are drawn to projects like those featured in the showroom: works that highlight the creativity and artistic elements of the masonry. "We provide the materials to allow these talented architects, builders and craftsmen to apply their techniques; we give them the materials to work with."

The exterior of the PBM showroom displays a spectacular "wave wall," showcasing a local masonry artist's unique use of concentric design to highlight his love of the ocean. (Photo courtesy of Peninsula Building Materials)

These unique materials are beautifully displayed in PBM's impressive 8,500-square-foot Mountain View showroom. The spacious display area houses full-scale stone and brick structures from inviting entryways, fireplaces, fountains and outdoor barbeques, to a wood-fired pizza oven. Builders can refer their clients to the showroom to view the variety of structures and better understand how incorporating specific building materials impacts the finished product.

The Morey family - generations three and four. Left to right: Adam Morey, finance; Marty Morey, sales operations; Joe Morey, President; Luke Morey, Redwood City; and Patrick Morey, Sunnyvale. (Photo by Bruce Schneider)

As a traditional facility with builder and contractor relationships, the company has expanded its capabilities in a new direction with the showroom business. The majority of PBM's customer base remains conventional builder and masonry clients, but homeowners and casual walk-in customers are always welcome. "Sometimes it's nice to just walk in with no preconceived ideas. We love it when architects, designers and masons come in with our mutual clients. It helps to see the mix of materials and be able to collaborate." As a designer herself, Kohlin understands the predicament clients face in making decisions if they are only able to view materials in the inventory yard or on the website. "Most people have a hard time visualizing. It's difficult to look at a pallet of stone and envision what it will look like in a completed project," Kohlin adds. "It's great to have a place for our customers to bring their clients when deciding on materials, and to see installations they may not have imagined. The thing I tell designers, architects, builders and masons is that we built our showroom for you."

The PBM Masonry showroom team will help you transform your concepts into reality. (Photo by Bruce Schneider)

Dependability, quality, customer service and value. The concept of getting the job done, regardless of the degree of difficulty. Working together as a team to solve problems and ensure customer satisfaction. These are the characteristics of a sound business model that stands the test of time. For four generations and counting, Peninsula Building Materials remains true to its founder's ideals.

Peninsula Building Materials is located at 2490 Charleston Rd. in Mountain View, CA 94043. Call (877) 282-0522 or visit pbm1923.com for more information.

April 2007 Builder Architect Edition Issue

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