Hardwood Floors February/March 2017

250,000 board feet of reclaimed wood was ordered for use in three Saltgrass Steakhouse Restaurants. Photo courtesy of Real Antique Wood.

The episode aired Jan. 3, and with amazing results. In the boardroom, Fertitta placed an order with Real Antique Wood for benches for his new Italian restaurant, Grotto Ristorante, totaling $9,850 and also offered to purchase 250,000 board feet for three of his Saltgrass Steak House restaurants bringing the total order to more than $600,000.

After sharing his expertise and pushing for improvements to the firms’ products, Fertitta decides whether to place a significant purchase order with one of the companies, both or neither. After a thorough review of the company and completion of multiple contracts and paperwork, Real Antique Wood was cast as a small business for the show. Next thing the team knew, filming was underway followed by a trip to Houston to tape the boardroom meeting. “It was fun and they let us be ourselves; we didn’t have to act,” says Gary. “Tilman gave us a lot of good business suggestions related to handling our inventory, producing a print catalogue and finding good employees. He really wanted us to be prepared for the future and to cue up more business.” “I had such a great time with the whole experience,” added Lisa. “We know that we have a really good business here and hearing it from someone like Tilman who has billions of dollars is so cool. It’s great to learn from somebody like him.”

Benches for Fertitta’s new restaurant Grotto Ristorante. Photo courtesy of Real Antique Wood.

As a result of the order the team has expanded operations by adding an additional drying kiln and has one more on order. “We couldn’t be happier,” says Gary. “As a small start-up, this is a life changing opportunity, and we get to share our passion more broadly.” He continued, “I love what I do; our wood is sourced from farms that have been passed down from generation to generation. When we arrive at the site, it’s not just a chance to gather materials,

but also an opportunity to learn about the barn, family, and community surrounding the barn. Oftentimes we receive old family photos, antiques from inside the barn, and a brief history lesson that we’re excited to share with the future owners of the wood.”

Watch the episode at: cnbc.com/billion-dollar-buyer.

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