A 'monumental' investment

SANDUSKY — The new investment strives to keep a century-old, family-run small business in operation for many more generations. Work continues to evolve Balconi Monuments Inc. into a business embracing technology but also one reaffirming its roots of fulfilling time-honored services. An ongoing, privately funded undertaking — totaling about $1.5 million — calls for renovating existing spaces and adding on new ones at its site on Milan Road (U.S. 250) and East Perkins Avenue: • One phase reshaped Balconi's showroom, which doubles as its business office. Crews, however, did preserve the company's original workshop, which debuted in 1919 when Balconi got its start in Sandusky. • Another phase focused on creating a workshop, or warehouse, adorning Balconi's business name in large white letters visible from the street. It's here where workers cut, polish, fabricate and engrave stone. • A third phase, taking place right now, involves crews laying the foundation for a new adjacent building beside the warehouse to perform similar tasks. This work should wrap up sometime this spring. All told, the phases should create about 13,000 square feet to increase Balconi's physical presence. "Our facilities were becoming dated, and all of us here wanted to change that," company president Bret Ninke said. "In order to stay up with the times and be able to handle the amount of work we have been taking on and want to take on, we needed to update what we have here, putting a modern twist on it. This will make us a better and more efficient company." Amid these phases, Balconi purchased new equipment, such as lasers, for engraving purposes on its monuments. "We still sandblast, but laser engraving is becoming a more popular method for people when they want to personalize something," Bret said. Balconi classifies itself as a full-service monument company, designing, manufacturing and installing all forms of memorials, such as headstones found in cemeteries. For instance, Balconi made a good majority of grave memorials found in the nearby Oakland Cemetery. "We take great pride in our monuments," said Collin Ninke, Balconi's vice president and one of Bret's two sons. "We want it to be something that will reflect positively and help loved ones find closure." The company also makes signs, products out of natural stone and, just recently, ventured into designing kitchens and bathrooms by offering its countertops, cabinets, flooring and tiles for these remodel projects. "We wanted to become that one-stop shop for our customers," said Jeremy Ninke, the company's other vice president and Bret's second son. "We understand people don't want to go to two or three different places to look for cabinets or tiles," Jeremy said. "We wanted to offer a package for people so that they could come here, get that personal touch and feel good that they can trust us." Jeremy expanded upon the "personal touch" aspect his business has provided since Day 1. "Every stone or countertop we help someone out with, we treat that person like they're part of our own family," he said. "We put a lot of thought into each and every one of our products and work with the person to develop it from the vision they're thinking of. That's really important to us." Balconi's management team underscored how it appreciates being a part of the Sandusky community. The business often sponsors youth sports teams and donates to important civic projects. This would include, three years ago, creating a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. found in downtown's Washington Park. "We are always about community support because the community has supported us for us for 103 years," said Jeremy, who added his family appreciates all the investments happening across Sandusky, which, in part, convinced the Balconi company to make a sizable commitment for its long-term future. "And this investment we're doing, by constructing new buildings and staying up on the latest technologies, we want to constantly improve so that we can sustain and stay here, in Sandusky, for another 100 years," Jeremy said. History lesson Founded in 1919, and in continuous operation since then, Balconi Monuments Inc. has a long lineage: • It was originally purchased by brothers Charles, Frank and Henry Balconi. • Frank's sons, Mario and Geno Balconi, joined the firm in 1940 and took over management in 1959. • Mario's son, John, joined the firm in 1962, and his daughter, Marcia, came aboard in 1964. • Marcia's son, Bret Ninke, is a fourth-generation business operator since 1982. • Bret's sons, Jeremy and Collin Ninke, represent the fifth generation to work at Balconi Monuments. "It's so great to work with my sons here," said Bret, who didn't force his children into the family business. "I'm not ready to retire, but it makes me feel good that the company is in good hands, with Jeremy and Collin, who have good values, good work ethic and a respect for history." Jeremy hopes his children, Geno and Isla, follow suit. "I would love for them to carry on this legacy," said Jeremy, who frequently brings his young children with him to work. "That would be a dream come true."