CHARLEVOIX — An Army veteran who turned to Northern Michigan’s iconic stone for a new path forward is finding success creating home décor and custom art pieces from Petoskey stones.

Fred Falting, owner of Petoskey Stone Tile & More , has been running his business for two years. He said he launched the workshop as a way to stay closer to his parents while shifting away from a corporate career.

“I needed something between a corporate position and being around my parents with their health issues,” Falting said. “So I saw this as a great opportunity to work literally out of the garage making this.”

Instead, he purchases stone from open pits and quarries on the east side of the state, making four to six trips each year.

As demand grew, Falting said he expanded into tile work and developed

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