Tile America

What Tile America does

Tile America is a Connecticut-based, family-owned specialty tile retailer founded in 1963 (per company history; one source dates establishment to 1963 and another to 1956), operating seven showroom locations across the state in Brookfield, Fairfield, Manchester, New Haven (headquarters), New London, Stamford, and West Hartford. The company sells a curated assortment of ceramic and porcelain tile, natural stone, glass, luxury vinyl tile, installation products (grout, waterproofing, Schluter systems), accessories, and wallcoverings, supplemented by exclusive product lines including Hytect titanium dioxide hygienic surface technology and the Tommy Bahama by Lunada Bay Tile handcrafted glass collection. Its technology footprint centers on a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront (shop.tileamerica.com), a Tile Visualizer, an online inspiration gallery organized by room category, and digital tools for sample ordering and wishlists; no proprietary AI/ML or platform technology is disclosed.

The business is sales-led and physical-first: customers transact primarily through showroom visits with complimentary design consultation, supplemented by an e-commerce storefront, trade counters at each location with extended professional hours, and an outside/commercial sales team serving architects and commercial contractors. Customer segments span homeowners, architects and interior designers (served via the Designer Advantage Program), tile installers and builders (served via trade counters and Schluter system pricing), and commercial contractors in hospitality and retail. Pricing is unit-based with non-public list pricing, a 50% minimum deposit requirement, and 30-day returns on stocked items; revenue is generated entirely within Connecticut and adjacent markets, with no public financial disclosures, funding history, or external investors. Leadership is family-run, with Brian Knies as President and Louise Knies as Financial Officer.

Name

Tile America

Legal name

Tile America

Website

https://tileamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tile America is a Connecticut-based, family-owned tile retailer founded in 1963, operating seven showrooms across the state. It sells curated ceramic, porcelain, glass, natural stone, and luxury vinyl tile to homeowners, architects, designers, installers, and commercial contractors, supported by trade programs and design consultation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tile and Stone Retail

NAICS

Floor Covering Retailers (449121), Other Building Material Dealers (444180)

SIC

Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)

akta.pro primary industry

Tile & Stone Specialty Retail (CRAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ceramic, Porcelain & Natural Stone Tile Flooring (IMADAJAE)

Keywords

• Ceramic porcelain tile
• Natural stone products
• Tile showroom retail
• Trade tile supply
• Tile design consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tile and Stone Product Sales: Tile America generates revenue primarily through the direct sale of ceramic, porcelain, glass, natural stone, and specialty tile products. Products are sold through seven Connecticut showroom locations, a trade counter network, and an e-commerce storefront. The company also imports tile directly, offering curated international collections. Installation products, grout, waterproofing materials, and accessories are additional product categories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tile America is a Connecticut-based family-owned tile retailer and direct importer that sells ceramic, porcelain, glass, natural stone, luxury vinyl tile, wallcoverings, and installation products through seven showroom locations across Connecticut and an e-commerce storefront. The company offers complimentary design consultation, trade programs (Designer Advantage Program and trade counters), and delivery services to homeowners, designers, architects, contractors, and commercial builders.

Product overview

Tile America is a Connecticut-based family-owned tile retailer and direct importer founded in 1963, operating seven showroom locations throughout the state. The company offers a curated portfolio of tile products across multiple categories including Ceramic & Porcelain, Natural Stone, Glass, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Installation Products, Accessories, and Wallcoverings. The core product offering centers on ceramic and porcelain floor and wall tiles available in various collections such as Architech Oak (wood-look porcelain), Borghini Classico (marble-look Italian porcelain), and Sagrada (marble-look designs). Specialty offerings include Hytect hygienic tile technology with titanium dioxide for germ-killing properties, and the Tommy Bahama handcrafted glass tile partnership with Lunada Bay Tile. The company serves homeowners, design professionals, builders, and contractors through showrooms and an e-commerce platform, complemented by trade programs including Designer Advantage and installer services with dedicated trade counters. Additional services include design assistance, delivery, and product installation support through partners like Schluter Systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ceramic & Porcelain Tile
• Natural Stone Tile
• Glass Tile
• Luxury Vinyl Tile
• Installation Products
• Tile Accessories
• Wallcoverings
• Quick Ship Tile
• Designer Advantage Program
• Trade Counter Services
• Design Assistance
• Delivery Service
• Specialty Collections

Quantifiable outcome

• Portobello named Tile America's 2025 Supplier of the Year, recognizing exceptional product design, responsive support, customer service, and product availability

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PortobellocoreOthers · 1 January 2025Portobello is a leading tile manufacturer with U.S. operations based in Baxter, Tennessee, known for innovative ceramic and porcelain tile design. Tile America named Portobello its 2025 Supplier of the Year, recognizing the company for exceptional product design, responsive field support, customer service, strong product availability, and on-time delivery. Tile America employees vote annually for Supplier of the Year based on criteria that directly impact the company's ability to serve its customers and trade partners. The award was presented by Brian Knies, President of Tile America, to Mike Ward, Vice President of Sales at Portobello, during a visit to Portobello's U.S. headquarters and primary manufacturing facility in Baxter, Tennessee.
• Lunada Bay TileflagshipOthersTile America and Lunada Bay Tile partnered to create the Tommy Bahama tile collection, an exclusive premier collection of handcrafted glass tile blends inspired by exotic destinations worldwide. This partnership brings the Tommy Bahama lifestyle brand into Tile America's product assortment, combining Lunada Bay's handcrafted glass tile expertise with the Tommy Bahama brand aesthetic.
• Tommy Bahama (brand licensing with Lunada Bay Tile)flagshipOthersTommy Bahama, a lifestyle brand believing life should be one long weekend, partnered with Tile America and Lunada Bay Tile to create an exquisite handcrafted glass tile collection. The collection features designs inspired by the world's most exotic destinations, blending adventure, spontaneity, beauty, and relaxation in a classic, sophisticated style.
• Haley Design CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHaley Design Company, a luxury residential design firm founded by Tara Coniglio in New Canaan, CT, is featured in Tile America's Partner Profile blog series. With over 25 years of experience in residential construction and renovation, Tara's design firm works closely with custom home builders and routinely specifies Tile America products. Tile America designer Karen Reilly at the Stamford location supports Haley Design Company projects. The partnership is mutually beneficial, with Tile America providing product access and design support while Haley Design Company drives tile specifications for its high-end residential clients.
• Torrco Design CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTorrco Design Center, a bath and lighting fixture showroom, is co-located within the Tile America Fairfield showroom location. This arrangement allows customers visiting Tile America for tile to also browse bath and lighting options in one location, creating a more comprehensive design shopping experience and cross-referral opportunity between the two showrooms.
• WOW, Artistic Tile, Stone Impressions (and other suppliers)coreOthersTile America carries curated tile products from international suppliers and brands including WOW, Artistic Tile, Stone Impressions, and others. These suppliers provide the curated ceramic, porcelain, glass, and natural stone tile collections featured across Tile America's seven showrooms.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Floor & Decor Holdings: National specialty retailer of hard-surface flooring including tile, stone, and installation products, operating large-format showrooms across the U.S. Closest direct competitor to Tile America on assortment, showroom-led experience, and pro/consumer dual customer base.
• The Tile Shop: U.S. specialty tile retailer operating company-owned showrooms focused exclusively on tile, stone, and related setting materials. Highly comparable business model — curated tile assortment, showroom-led experience, design consultation, and trade/consumer dual segments.
• Arizona Tile: Tile and natural stone distributor with showrooms across the western and central U.S., supplying homeowners, designers, and contractors. Directly comparable curated tile and stone assortment with trade/designer support programs similar to Tile America's Designer Advantage Program.
• Bedrosians Tile & Stone: Family-owned tile and natural stone manufacturer-distributor with showrooms across the western U.S. Comparable as a multi-generational, family-operated tile business combining direct-import sourcing with retail showroom distribution and trade programs.
• LL Flooring (formerly Lumber Liquidators): National specialty flooring retailer offering hard-surface flooring including tile, vinyl, and wood through company-owned stores and e-commerce. Comparable specialty-retailer model in the flooring category, though broader than tile-only.

Broad incumbents

• Home Depot: Largest U.S. home improvement retailer with broad tile and flooring assortment alongside thousands of other building product categories. Competes with Tile America on price, convenience, and selection breadth across Connecticut, but does not offer the same level of tile specialization or curated premium assortment.
• Lowe's: Second-largest U.S. home improvement retailer carrying tile, flooring, and installation products alongside a full building-materials assortment. Comparable on tile category competition but operates a much broader portfolio rather than a tile-focused showroom experience.

Emerging players

• TileBar: Online-first specialty tile and stone retailer focused on designer-grade tile, mosaics, and bath/kitchen surfaces. Comparable curated tile assortment but competes via a digital showroom model without Tile America's seven physical Connecticut locations.

Others

• Daltile: Largest U.S. manufacturer and distributor of ceramic, porcelain, and stone tile, selling through a national dealer network including independent retailers like Tile America. Comparable as a key supplier/category peer shaping the tile assortment Tile America carries.

Regional players

• Marble & Granite Inc. Northeast U.S.-based natural stone and engineered surface distributor with showroom and fabrication facilities serving homeowners, designers, and contractors. Comparable regional Northeast presence and trade/designer customer base, though more focused on stone slabs than tile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TileAmerica1
• Facebookfacebook.com/tileamerica
• Instagraminstagram.com/tileamerica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tile America