If you have shopped for tile in Orange County, you have probably heard someone mention Tile Row. It is the local nickname for the stretch of South State College Boulevard in Anaheim where tile and stone showrooms sit one after another for several blocks. For homeowners, designers, and contractors, it is the first place to go when a project calls for tile. This guide covers what Tile Row is, why so many tile stores ended up in one place, and what to look for before you buy.
What Is Tile Row?
Tile Row refers to the concentration of tile, stone, and flooring showrooms along South State College Boulevard in Anaheim. Over the years this corridor became the go-to destination in Orange County for anyone sourcing tile, natural stone, and slabs. Walk or drive the stretch and you will pass showroom after showroom, from large national chains to family-owned local businesses.
The appeal for shoppers is simple. You can visit several showrooms in a single afternoon, compare products and pricing side by side, and see full-size tile and full stone slabs in person rather than guessing from small samples or screen images. For a material that becomes a permanent part of your home, that ability to compare in person is worth the trip.
Why So Many Tile Stores Are in One Place
Clustering is common in specialty retail. Just as jewelry districts and furniture rows form in cities across the country, tile showrooms gathered on State College Boulevard because proximity benefits both the businesses and the customers. Shoppers get a destination where they can compare options efficiently, and the concentration of foot traffic supports all the showrooms on the row.
For homeowners this is genuinely good news. The competition keeps pricing honest and the selection deep. But it also means the showrooms are not all the same, and knowing the differences before you go saves time and money.
The Difference Between a Tile Supplier and a Tile Installer
Here is the most important thing to understand before you shop Tile Row. Most of the showrooms on State College Boulevard are suppliers only. They sell you the tile and hand you a list of contractors to call for installation. That means you are managing two separate relationships, the store you bought from and the installer you hired, and if something goes wrong with the fit or the material, each one can point at the other.
A smaller number of businesses on the row both supply and install. City Tile & Cabinets is one of them. We sell the tile, stone, flooring, cabinets, and countertops, and our own in-house team installs them. There is no subcontractor in the middle and no handoff. The same team that helps you choose materials in the showroom is accountable for how they are installed. For most homeowners, that single point of responsibility is the difference between a smooth project and a frustrating one.
What to Look for in a Tile Store on State College Blvd
A few things separate a good tile shopping experience from a frustrating one:
Selection you can see in person. Look for showrooms that display full-size tile and full slabs, not just small samples. Color, veining, and finish read differently at full scale and under real lighting.
Honest guidance on application. The right tile for a shower floor is different from the right tile for a kitchen counter or an entryway. Good showroom staff ask what the tile is for before pointing you at options, and they talk through slip resistance, durability, and maintenance.
In-stock availability. Some showrooms display products they then have to special order, which adds weeks to your timeline. Ask what is actually in stock versus what needs to be ordered.
Installation under one roof. If a showroom also installs, you eliminate the gap between buying and installing. That means one point of contact and one team accountable for the finished result.
Shopping Tile Row With City Tile & Cabinets
City Tile & Cabinets has been on State College Boulevard since 1998. Our showroom at 1535 S State College Blvd sits right on Tile Row, one mile from Angel Stadium and 3.5 miles from Disneyland. We carry tile, natural stone, wood flooring, cabinets, and countertops, and unlike most of our neighbors on the row, we supply and install everything with our own in-house team.
That means you can walk our showroom, compare full-size materials in person, get straightforward recommendations based on how you actually live, and have the same team handle the installation from start to finish. One showroom, one installer, every material category under one roof.
If you are planning a tile, flooring, or full remodeling project anywhere in Anaheim or Orange County, stop by our showroom on Tile Row. Samples look different in person than they do on a screen, and our team is here to help you get it right.