Signature Santiago: Business Better Than Ever, Positioned for Growth

                For Santiago Sanchez, going to work is better than going on vacation. The owner of Signature Santiago works seven days a week, 365 days a year, but says he doesn't need time off.                “They say when you retire you should do something you enjoy. The way I see it, I've been retired for 25 years because this is my Heaven away from Heaven,” Sanchez said.                Sanchez worked at Rockwell Collins until 1986, when he left to work full-time on his business. The company primarily focused on decorating for restaurants from tables to detailed murals and paintings. In the last three years Sanchez's business has undergone change that has positioned the company for extensive growth in the future.                It was the Cedar Rapids flood of 2008 that sparked the change. In addition to losing his work space, tools and supplies in the flood, Sanchez lost a total of 28 paintings. Six years of his work washed down the river, including one mural measuring 30 feet wide by four feet tall that was scheduled to be delivered the Monday after the flood. At the time Signature Santiago employed three people, one of them being Sanchez's son. All three employees were let go. Sanchez was on his own and like many other people, scrambling to find a space for his business to reopen.                 He found a spot not far from his previous location, and through financial assistance from the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and JumpStart, he says getting the business up and running again was much easier.                “Every dollar really counts and the city has done a lot,” Sanchez said. “It was a pretty tough time, and without that financial help, it would have been even tougher.”                During this time of change, Sanchez decided to pursue an idea his son suggested years before – specializing in furniture for homes, which included University of Iowa Hawkeye tables. It took Sanchez three years to develop the process for his new product offerings. He now offers seamless countertops, bar tables, end tables, and coffee tables, with a variety of shapes available for the table top. Additionally, Signature Santiago makes backsplashes that turn a four-day project for the homeowner into 30 minutes.                Instead of using tile, Sanchez makes the table tops and backsplashes out of cement board and creates a unique, artistic design. Through this process, Signature Santiago can make their products look exactly like tile if so desired, with much less maintenance for the homeowner. Every design is custom made, making the table, countertop, or backsplash one of a kind. The uniqueness of Signature Santiago's products inspired the company's tagline, “We pick up where Mother Nature left off.”                “Some people might see that as an arrogant statement, but it's not,” Sanchez said. “Once I create that design it would be impossible for me to make an exact duplicate, so you are the only one to have that tabletop or backsplash in the world. Our products are one of a kind and we can do things that can't be done using tile.”                That includes keeping the area cleaner as the sealant used on the tables prevents dirt from seeping into cracks that might otherwise invade tile or granite. The products are also easy to repair if they are scratched by using a little sandpaper and lightly buffing the damaged area. The line will hold its value, according to Sanchez, and can endure up to 400 degree temperatures. Furthermore, at $28 per square foot, Sanchez notes his line is cheaper than most.                As this new venture takes off for Sanchez, he is feeling optimistic for the future. The process he uses for his new product line has been patented and he has applied for 50 more collegiate licenses to produce more college tables. Sanchez continues to design tables and artwork for restaurants and currently has 100 restaurant tables backordered. The demand for his work has increased so much that he has been able to hire a few more people to help him with his projects.                “By the end of this year we will be in good shape,” Sanchez said. “Nothing but good things are ahead.”

Coming Wednesday: a photo gallery of Signature Santiago's work.

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