Ask around at www.stonefabricatorsalliance.com. They're a good bunch of guys, although I had to bail a member out of big trouble several months ago.

I used Bertini Marble and Tile (just off Hiway 141 in Grimes) for both my bathroom and kitchen counters - based on my contractor's recommendation.

Not only were they friendly and helpful, but they let me into the shop to approve how my slabs were cut.

And...my seam is practically invisible.

I have granite (I don't recall any quartz there), but my contractor took me to Renaissance Tile on 100th St. in Urbandale to look at quartz; whom my contractor highly recommended.

For quartzite, we went to Midwest Tile on 100th St. in Urbandale - they had a huge selection, but we seemed to be a bother to them, and I wouldn't go there again.

Thanks Joseph and read_more_books! I will follow up on all your leads.

I've been to Bertini, but at the time, was not yet looking at slabs, just flooring tile, and the salesperson was super nice and followed through with email.

Midwest is a wholesaler, so I can imagine them being a bit less friendly than retail, particularly if they were busy at the time (I found them very knowledgeable and helpful re. tile). I will definitely check out Renaissance, as I have not visited there.

I came from the huge Orange County, CA market, where tile, stone and countertops was super competitive, so the Midwest and its pricing is a surprise! ;-{

Bertini's is a good place. I buy my soapstone remnants there. They are very nice, they put up with me snooping around their remnant yard. It is good to hear that Read-More-Books had a great experience there. Another place is Rowat Cut Stone and Marble. It is the oldest stone yard in DM. Go down East 6th, past the East Village, south of the tracks (if the tracks are still there), and then turn left on one of the cross streets to get there. It is a big old building. The building is the oldest one in DM I think. They were helpful and I bought my marble from them for my bathroom and they installed it. I am happy with it. No seam, so I don't know how they are with seams.

At Bertini's Lisa is very nice, and calm. Just ask for her at the desk.

ETA: so you guys are from Iowa :) I actually live in Boone Co. but work in DM.