It kind of looks like it was a dyi project, not done very well. Good chance it is covering up something, but you won't know until you remove it. I highly doubt anything good or salvageable. If good brick it's probably a mess from whatever may have been used to attach rustic stone. I would be tempted to get a hammer and chisel and start hacking away at it. Now would be the time to remove if he dislike it so. . It's not too big of an area so redoing yourself probably not costly. I think some slate tiles would look nice. That kind of rustic look I've never thought looked good, not that I don't like rustic look, just not that.

that's a good suggestion. maybe we will start on the side and see if maybe some brick is hiding. there is another fireplace upstairs, its brick.

upstairs fireplace