Then and Now
In 1980, shortly after the Rae family arrived in Texas from South Africa,
Stuart and his dad, Clive, set up shop.
It was a modest beginning– a small office and adjoining warehouse on West 34th Street in Houston.
They primarily sold slate roof tiles to a small group of forward-thinking custom homebuilders in the area.
But, that was just the beginning.
Fast forward to 2026, and Thorntree now has four locations, offers dozens of personally curated lines, serves clients nationwide, and is generally regarded as the top independently-owned natural stone and porcelain tile company in the Southwest.
It’s all because of great clients and an unwavering commitment to the values Stuart and his dad started with 46 years ago.


