The Stone Revivers Story
Generational Craftsmanship
that Almost Didn't Happen
When a trade runs throughout a family for generations, it can be easy to take it for granted or dismiss it completely. In the same way, the youngest generation might not want to continue "the legacy" in order to pursue their own path.
This was certainly the case for Dalton Alfortish who left for California immediately upon graduating from high school. After being forced to work in the stone shop most weekends and many summers while growing-up, he couldn't wait to get out on his own and far away from lifting heavy, dangerous natural stone.
After some success in the entertainment industry, being able to work with actors such as Tom Cruise, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Kevin Spacey, Ansel Elgort, Taron Egerton, Lucas Black, Vinnie Jones, Danny Trejo, and many more known figures behind the camera, Dalton found a talent for marketing that took him on a wild journey from kids show actor to venture capital-focused marketer in famed Silicon Valley & Silicon Beach.
Fast forward to 2025, Dalton finds himself back in Louisiana, working on developing his copywriting skills while providing business consulting for local businesses. Due to the highly specialized skillset needed to lift and install massive yet delicate stone countertops into a home, he also found himself helping in his father, Reuben Alfortish as a high-level natural stone project installer.
Through his work, he would see the effects of stone maintenance neglect when returning to previous clients to fix the multitude of issues that could have been prevented through regular maintenance. Which all clicked while on a trip to Richmond, Texas to visit family, where the idea for Stone Revivers fully formed organically—out of necessity.
Greetings from Us, the Founders
The Alfortish name is known throughout the greater New Orleans area for their involvement in starting and operating historic New Orleans & Metairie cemeteries since the late 1800's. Our core trade has been crafting & construction of intricate tombstones, generational family mausoleums.
Since the early 1970's, the Alfortish family has been successfully completing many of the highest-profile residential properties, ranging from top-of-the-world penthouses at 1 Canal Place to architectural award-winning custom homes in Metairie, Covington, New Orleans, Baton Rouge & Kenner.
Our passion has been passed down from generation to generation, which we love sharing with to our clients who trust us with crafting and caring for the surfaces that many of their favorite family memories take place on and around.
Dalton Alfortish & Jay McSwain
As a fifth-generation stonemason, Dalton has a passion for keeping the artisan trade of Stonemasonry alive. Whether it's through expansive and intricately book-matched quartzite countertops throughout luxury custom homes, or restoring a busy family's granite kitchen countertops to feel and shine like the day they viewed the house & the moment they fell in love with it.
With over 25+ years and thousands of jobs completed from start to finish, stone-working veteran, Jay McSwain, has a driving passion for natural stone and the art of crafting it into stunning kitchens, bathrooms, showers, and much more. Over the years and through the extremely wide spectrum of stonework he's completed, Jay has developed true mastery in repairing & restoring natural stone. This is only part of the experience he brings to every project entrusted to Stone Revivers.
When on a trip to Richmond, Texas to visit family, Dalton was approached by a local real estate agent who knew of his expertise in natural stone, to appraise the current condition of his rental property's kitchen countertops & quote the work needed to revive them back to "freshly-installed" condition.
When Dalton realized the stone hadn't been properly serviced since it was installed, he was struck with the realization; this was an extremely common situation that lead to health hazardous surface build-ups due to unsealed stone, black mold spreading due to failed joint epoxy, among many other systemic problems from stone neglect.
Right there, Stone Revivers was born.
Sextons of New Orleans Cemeteries from 1906 to 1954
Click the image to see official records listing the Alfortish family as the longest running line of active sextons serving Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 from 1911 to 1953. This was while my family was also fabricating, building & installing memorials & mausoleums throughout the entire New Orleans area.
Builders of Fine New Orleans-style Tombs and Mausoleums for 5 Generations Strong
Click the image to see our family's memorials and mausoleums business, the oldest company specializing in the complicated fabrication and construction of Louisiana-specific chambers.
