New Businesses – Closets By Design
by October 16, 2000 12:00 am 86 views
Owner: Bryan Richardson
rAddress: 1104 Shaver St., rSpringdale 72762
rPhone: 501-872-8800
rHours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.rMonday-Friday and rby appointment
rStart-up date: May 22
rInternet address: rwww.closets-by-design.com
rQuality storage space seemed sparse in Northwest Arkansas to new business owner Bryan Richardson. Moving back into the area after 12 years in California, Richardson opened a franchise of Closets By Design to offer custom storage systems.
r”I specifically chose this [business] because it was a very popular concept in other areas,” Richardson said. “It was an unmet need in Arkansas.”
rIn the United States, there are more than 20 factories that manufacture Closets By Design.
rIndependently owned by Richardson, the local business uses hard wood veneer and melamine — a laminate wood product with a particle board core — to create custom kitchen cabinets, pantries, office desks and closets.
rClosets By Design offers a lifetime guarantee for each project.
rRichardson and a staff of three people provide design, production and installation of the storage systems. In a 5,000-SF building, the staff crafts each piece on site in a 3,900-SF workshop. A showroom and offices comprise the remaining space.
rFees for the craftsmanship range widely according to each job, Richardson said, but the smallest jobs cost about $500.
r”We’ve done everything from a tiny corner closet to a big walk-in,” he said.
rClosets By Design is Richardson’s first ownership venture, and the start-up costs were about $180,000. Franchising rights cost Richardson $35,000. Before opening this business, he worked in corporate finance for Kinko’s in California.