Concrete Business Reopens Under New Creative Vision

Justin Reardon and his wife, Mayve Reardon, have brought back to life the Clayton concrete business started by his parents decades ago, changing the name from CR Concrete to Commemorative Concrete.

“This has been in the family for 25 years,” Reardon said. “My folks started it. We did benches and stepping stones.”

Reardon said the previous business shut down in 2008, and he learned a new trade as a welder. He became a boilermaker for 18 years, spending weeks on the road doing jobs. But recently, with three daughters at home, Reardon said he realized he was missing too much of their lives and milestones while he was on the road and so he quit. “I paid my dues,” he said.

Reardon decided to revive his parents’ concrete company and started making pet memorials, small and large stepping stones, plaques and benches out of concrete. “We fired it back up,” he said.

The business is not entirely the same, Reardon said. His parents used to make large items like bird baths that Reardon stays away from because of the weight. But he still uses a vibrating table with custom-made molds to make his designs, using the techniques he learned from his parents.

“They kind of taught themselves,” he said. “I learned everything from them.”

Commemorative Concrete launched approximately 18 months ago. Reardon said he hires someone to make molds for him using a 3D printer as well as engravings on various products, including pet memorials.

One of the products Reardon makes is military honor stones. He said he has designs that recognize the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, Buffalo Soldiers, the Korean War, Iwo Jima, and the various branches of service. “We’re licensed vendors with the VFW,” he said. “We’ve got our stones all over in the local VFWs here.”

Reardon said he has an Honor Stone Initiative, which includes taking 15% of the cost of each honor stone sold and donating it to either the VFW or American Legion.

More recently, Reardon and his wife have partnered with Deer Park High School, where he attended, and Central Valley High School to make commemorative stones for high school seniors. He said each stone includes the school’s logo and can be personalized with the name of a student.

“It hasn’t really taken off yet, but I think it’ll go,” he said.

Reardon said each item he makes is carefully crafted and sealed with waterproof acrylic. “We guarantee our products for life,” he said. “We take a lot of pride in our product.”

Reardon said he’s grateful that Commemorative Concrete is allowing him to work locally. “The biggest thing is I can be home and be a dad,” he said.

Much of what Reardon has been doing is to let people know about the products he offers. He said he attended  the Home and Garden Show in Spokane and has done numerous arts and crafts shows, bringing in examples of his work for customers to see.

It was at one of these shows where Reardon met a 92-year-old woman who raved about how much she loved a concrete bench she had purchased decades ago. After a few questions, Reardon was able to determine that the woman had bought the bench from his parents and he had probably helped make it. He said the woman was nearly in tears and told him, “You wouldn’t believe the stories I’ve told on your bench.” Reardon said he was touched by her story and told her he was glad the bench was as sturdy as the day she bought it.

While Reardon still makes benches like the one she has enjoyed for years, he said he’s trying to focus on pet memorials because those only weigh 12 pounds each and can easily be shipped around the country. He has a wide variety of designs that feature a horse, dogs, cats, and more.

“I can ship them all over the country for $20,” he said.

Reardon also does specialty work. He said he created a mold featuring Haystack Rock, a famous landmark on the Oregon Coast, that he uses to make a concrete stone he sells to a woman in Oregon who sells them in her shop.

“We’re constantly looking for new ways to shine,” he said.

Reardon’s products are available online at commemorativeconcrete.com. People can also stop by Reardon’s shop at 4766 Price Road in Clayton.

Reardon said he loves the work he is doing. “It’s fulfilling,” he said. “I really feel like we offer a really cool product.”