Katie Bundy

Review of A&E Fine Woodworking

From the very first contact with Armani Fine woodw...

From the very first contact with Armani Fine woodworking, I was met with the best customer service possible.

I had all of my many questions answered quickly (less than a day) over e-mail by the owner, Joe Armani, personally. I also stopped by the shop to take a look at the different wood samples because I was torn between three different ones.

When we arrived, the owner, Joe, had stepped out to get lunch for his crew, so they were all just working. The moment I walked up, Josh stopped working immediately and asked if he could help me. I told him we were interested in seeing samples and he gladly pulled out samples. He even oiled them so I could see what they would look like once oiled. Additionally, he answered all of my questions and even offered to cut us a small sample of the two we were deciding between to take with us, which we graciously accepted and used to choose our other kitchen items. Tanner and John were equally as pleasant and helpful while we were there, taking care to pause any loud equipment usage so we could talk with Josh. It was absolutely stellar customer service.

Once we decided on our wood, I contacted Joe again with questions about overhang and layout. He patiently answered all of them, even taking a look at a diagram I had drawn. He recommended specific thickness and lengths, based on countertop durability without trying to upsell anything that wasn't necessary. We ordered the countertop and it was slated to be ready 2-3 weeks later.(Walnut - @ 1.5" thick x 27" wide x 108" long) Since they were exceptionally busy (Pre-Holiday season, October 2015), it was supposed to be ready at 3 weeks. I had asked if it was possible to be ready at 2.5 weeks since we had family coming in town. Joe said that they would certainly try their best.

Not only was it ready BEFORE my requested deadline, but Joe stayed after 5pm so we could come pick it up. Additionally, he helped us load it after carefully wrapping it in thick bubble wrap. He also helped us secure it once it was in the vehicle to be sure no damage or undue stress on it would occur on our travels home. Now, let me talk about the quality...

I have seen a lot of butcher block countertops in my lifetime and this one simply outdid them all. It is absolutely GORGEOUS!! It turned out beautifully. Joe, the owner, was the one that actually crafted my countertop. He was very proud about how it turned out (as he should be) and was certain to point out the details, like the bookmatching and things that he was able to achieve. It is stunning and certainly the center piece for my kitchen. Not a single person has ever entered my house without complementing it. I absolutely love it.

He carefully reviewed the installation and care instructions with me and it has been in my kitchen now for over 3 months and is amazing. I have used their mineral oil + beeswax foodsafe product to maintain the butcherblock and it is still as gorgeous as the day it was installed and we use it every day.

I would recommend this company a million times over. I have worked with so many different contractors and companies that I have lost count. Armani Fine Woodworking is truly amazing. They are a local shop that produces a high quality product in a very reasonable turnaround time. Joe and his team were a pleasure to work with and are incredibly talented. I will certainly recommend them to anyone that is ever looking for a butcherblock countertop and will definitely use them for any more butcherblock that I ever need, as well.

Thank you for providing such a great product for my beautiful kitchen!