Leading the Way
It currently boasts 26 vignettes, each one highlighting a
variety of countertop, plumbing, lighting and tile options. Lines
include Elkay, Kohler, KWC, Whitehaus, Medallion, Miele, La Cornue,
Franke, Viking, Marvel, Sub-Zero, Wolf, DuPont Zodiaq, Pyrolave,
Top Knobs and Task, among others.
Overall Excellence in Operating a Kitchen and Bath Dealership
First Place: Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths, Corvallis, OR
Dedication to quality, employees, clients and the community is what drives Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths in Corvallis, OR. And that is what captured first-place honors in K&BDN's 2004 Industry Leadership Awards in the category of Overall Excellence in Operating a Kitchen and Bath Dealership.
"Its clients are attracted by the firm's dedication to quality, from design to completion," notes Mel Archer of Pacific Design Inc. in Hillsboro, OR, who nominated the company. His firm has been Corvallis' custom cabinet supplier since Corvallis opened its doors in 1992.
Brian Egan, CKD, CBD, is the owner of Corvallis, and is assisted by a showroom manager and three project managers. The showroom features full kitchen, bath, home office and entertainment center displays, which highlight a product mix that includes stone countertops, DuPont Corian, laminate floors, cabinets, lighting, tile and plumbing fixtures.
Committed to educating clients, Corvallis recently instituted an
in-house consumer education series to bring in new customers. It
has proven to be an effective marketing device. Other recent
endeavors include sponsoring local festivals and hosting a
winery.
Giving back to the community is also high on Corvallis' list.
Recent Corvallis community service efforts include participation in
the Linn-Benton Food Share and coordination of safety grab
installations for elderly and physically challenged people.
Second Place: Studio City Kitchens, Fair Oaks, CA
Personalized service, attention to detail and a dedication to clients that goes "above and beyond" have given Studio City Kitchens in Fair Oaks, CA, a competitive edge. They have also enabled owner Cyndi Pritt to grow her one-woman business into a half-million dollar per year endeavor. These traits have garnered Pritt's firm second place in the category of Overall Excellence in Operating a Kitchen and Bath Dealership.
Scott Lippert believes that Pritt's "relentless dedication to her clients" is what has helped grow Studio City Kitchens into what it is today. Lippert, who nominated the firm, is the showroom manager of Sacramento, CA-based McPhails Appliance.
Pritt encourages design input from clients, assists them in choosing a contractor, checks in weekly during the installation phase and delivers products herself, among other things.
Pritt's five-year-old showroom spans 2,000 sq. ft. and features seven kitchen displays and one bath vignette that highlight cabinetry, countertops, flooring, plumbing fixtures, faucetry, tile murals, backsplash tiles, knobs and pulls, bar stools and pendant lighting.
Third Place: SSW, Inc., dba Studio Snaidero Wisconsin, Madison, WI
The goal of Madison, WI-based SSW, Inc., dba Studio Snaidero Wisconsin, is "to elevate the Midwest to a new level of awareness in luxury European kitchen and bath products and design philosophies." So say Todd Huschka and Heather Ahrens of Studio Snaidero, a luxury kitchen and bath showroom that specializes in European living spaces. The showroom opened its doors in 2000, and has been growing strong ever since.
Kevin Henry, director of Tampa, FL-based Küppers-busch USA, one of the showroom's suppliers, believes in this vision. He nominated the firm in the category of Overall Excellence in Operating a Kitchen and Bath Dealership, in which it took third place.
"We definitely design from an emotional perspective. The designers out of Europe are so artistic and passionate, and we celebrate that here," say Huschka and Ahrens.
"One of our greatest strengths is the package we can offer," they report. "This combination of luxury European products cannot be seen anywhere else in one single showroom."
The product mix includes Snaidero, Küppersbusch, KWC, Dornbracht, Duravit, Miele, Neo-Metro, Villeroy & Boch and Valli & Valli, among others.
Independent or Factory Sales Rep of the Year
Consistent Support Wins
