The Gallegos Corporation, Vail, Colo.
Unfortunately, when high-interest rates hit in the 1980s, the building boom came to a screeching halt. Luckily, Gallegos was an acquaintance of Ron Allred, who helped formed the Telluride Company and transformed a tiny ski area in Telluride, Colo., into a booming playground for the rich and famous.
Between work in Telluride and in Aspen, Colo. The Gallegos Corporation not only survived the 1980s, but continued to expand. Gerald Gallegos hired his brother Bob to handle the business end of the flourishing company.
BIG IN THE WEST
Today, The Gallegos Corporation employs some 600 staff members in locations including Denver, Aspen, Telluride, Sun Valley, Idaho, and Lake Tahoe (Truckee, Calif), along with the corporate headquarters in Vail.
According to Dave Little, Gallegos pre-construction manager, growth like that comes from two important sources: superior materials and reliable installation.
“It’s the quality of the stone,” he says, “but also the ability to get things done.”
What makes The Gallegos Corporation stand apart is its many different branches, supplying the customer with just about anything they desire. From stone fireplaces to stucco facades, Gallegos can do it.
“We have different materials; that’s why we have different divisions and specific types of installers,” Little says.
Those various divisions include the stone and masonry department; decorative concrete; marble/granite; and plaster/stucco. And each division has its own staff to oversee the specific product.
“That’s why large general contractors like to work with us,” Little says. “They get lots of different divisions under one contractor, and only have to deal with one company.”
The Gallegos Corporation also operates a 10-acre stone yard in Gypsum, Colo., about 30 miles west of Vail. There’s the natural stone from Colorado that’s the company’s trademark for outdoor veneer and landscaping; Gallegos, however, also uses dimensional stone from familiar sources such as Italy, Brazil and China for interior use.
And, native to Gallegos’ home state is Colorado Buff Sandstone, which Little says is used quite often for kitchen and bathroom countertops.
Gallegos Corp. also sells stone to other masons and contractors and even deals in the retail side of the industry, selling landscaping or patio stone directly to homeowners.
EVEN BIGGER
This year brings even more growth and business to The Gallegos Corporation, as Vail plans a billion- dollar renovation in the next 10 years.