Instruction: Answer the given question by extracting information from the supporting document.

Input:
Question: can the butcher block top be removed easily? I want to put a granite top on it and what is the cabinet dimensions without the top?
Document: If you don't want to store spices, the racks hold additional cutting boards or trivets nicely. I found not using the knife block allowed me to clear even more counter space because a drawer accommodates the utensils in my Pampered Chef caddy.Not having this island long enough to report on the previously reported problems of the the top cracking, I will update should that happen.
About a week ago we noticed a crack (about two inches long) in the butcher block top...I was upset, but again I thought "I can live with this". Now, I have a crack that runs along the entire top of the butcher block top...I CAN NO LONGER LIVE WITH THIS!!!! !
Had for a month in my kitchen. Looked nice and was functional until butcher block top split in two places down the middle. Returning after one month.
It has spread pretty quickly, too. However, I still love this island so much that I'll just find a way to get a new top (maybe granite or marble?) put on it once the crack is unmanageable. I still have no regrets and I'm still glad I bought it and I still feel like it is a great value!UPDATE 2: Early 2013 - filled the dreaded crack with wood putty last year and forgot about it - no growth or recurrence of crack. Still a great value.
I have had this island for less than a month before a crack appeared in the butcher block. I haven't even used it for food prep yet. I check it out very thoroughly when it was delivered since I have read reviews that stated that this model is prone to cracking. I figured maybe I'd get lucky but I guess not.
I have had this island only a day, but I love it! It's as beautiful as it looked on the video. It arrived well packaged. There are only two minor disappointments. The drawers are NOT lined, as stated in the video, and the knife block (one of the reasons it was purchased) doesn't accommodate my Henkel knife set as easily as I would like. The knives set awkwardly in the slots.
Either way, Yes, I'd buy this island again in a heartbeat!UPDATE:We had our Kitchen redone with Granite counters and they made a special top for our Island in the same Granite (the Granite pattern, called "Caladonia", and is gray, silver and black with some pinkish colors throughout - it was a perfect choice). WOW - this moved the island into overdrive, for how pretty it looks now.
I was concerned about the "some assembly required" but it was nothing - screwing the knobs onto the drawers, unpacking and placing the shelves and granite board. On my island the drop-in granite board is on the left side, not the right as shown in the picture, but that's fine with me. The drawers have quiet, smooth slides and the red rub-through is done well. It feels and looks like a nice, solid, good quality piece of furniture.
I looked for a long time to find the right island for my kitchen and I finally found it on Amazon of all places.The island was better than the picture. I am very happy with the product. I did not give it a 5 star because it did take longer to get here and the delivery only went to the door. I did get them to put into the garage since it was snowing. The delivery company was also not going to let me inspect the island.
It's gorgeous and well worth looking at. You can purchase different barstools if you don't like the hard wood stools that match it, that's what we did. If you want to feel like you're sitting at a regular table, you would want stools that seat at 24 inches, but if you want to sit up high and use it as a bar, you would need 30 inch barstools, that what we purchased because the kids like sitting up high.
Answer: Yes, I did remove it.  Needed to reduce the weight so I could get it up two flights of stairs.  I estimate there were about a dozen or so screws to remove.  Once I got it in position, I put the screws back and everything is fine 1 year later.  Love this island, it fits perfectly in my kitchen and I get many complements on it.