“Over 25 years of experience”

These five words, displayed on the company’s website, represent a promise from Coldstone Shorelines founder and owner Ben Andreski of the skill, effort, and craftsmanship behind some of the company’s most impressive projects. Based in Scandia but working throughout the Twin Cities, Coldstone builds and restores shorelines, retaining walls, stairways, and patios — each crafted to meet customers’ needs.

Growing up in Upper Michigan, Andreski began building small projects for his family while attending school. “Building shorelines was how I paid my way through college. I graduated with a civil engineering degree, then worked for a couple years at a construction company in town. I didn’t like sitting in an office, so I decided to go back to what I was doing when I was younger.”

Specializing largely in restoration work, Coldstone focuses on using all natural stone—primarily trap rock, granite, and fieldstone—allowing their creations to stand out to the average viewer. “It’s all dry-stacked stone, nothing is mortared. Every piece is placed and shaped to lock in naturally.” Andreski notes. “If somebody has a wall failing, we’ll come in and remove the old wall, then rebuild it with the stone that fits the homeowner’s preference. We’ll probably spend three or four times the amount of time that a typical person would spend on something.”

“A friend told me that when they work on a new house, a lot of the exterior work has a lifespan of about eight years,” he said. “Basically, if you get eight years out of it, you’re doing well and got what you could from the job. When we’re building something, we’re putting it together to last a generation or more.”