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Great Lakes Fine Cabinetry (GLFC) has been in existence since 1998 and was originally started by 2 individuals in a smaller facility on Drummond Island. Dan had purchased cabinetry before through his construction business, realizing their quality craftsmanship. Then in 2016, when the business was offered for sale, Dan and Kim agreed it was the right investment to add to their businesses, Arbic Construction and Northland Appraisals. In talking to Kim, she and her husband thought this would be a good transition as they grew older, Kim managing the office and books and then Dan overseeing the cabinetry shop, but at this point she said that he hasn’t stopped swinging his hammer, as initially planned. Somehow they manage 3 businesses as well as raising 2 busy teenagers.
Their new building was their largest investment, now sitting at 844 E. 3 Mile Road since 2017. With an 11,000 square foot manufacturing space along with a 4,000 square foot showroom, they are able to employ 8 staff from the Sault, 2 of which they asked to move from Arbic Construction due to their talented trim skillset. Kim noted that most of the equipment was from the original location, but they added two custom paint booths as well as another larger door clamping system, in order to keep up with production. Since we hear a lot about employee turnover I asked Kim and she reported that they rarely see employees leave noting that one cabinetmaker had been with them 20 years.
GLFC isn’t just custom design. With 4 pre-built lines (semi-custom) you are able to have a competitively priced remodel while not sacrificing quality or selection. In talking to Ken Lincoln, Cabinet Design Specialist, they offer their clients a timeline of 6-8 weeks from order to install and are currently booked through September. You can tell just by talking to their team that they are very customer service oriented.
Additionally GLFC isn’t just kitchens. They have a wide assortment of bathroom displays and also create laminate countertops that are constructed in-house. There are endless possibilities. I also became aware of a website that my husband may not appreciate; Houzz.com. Check it out and you will begin to get the remodel “bug”. GLFC has tons of design photos showcasing their gorgeous renovations.
Then if you weren’t already wowed by the ability to design or renovate your space, let’s not forget that Jennifer Roy, Cabinet Design Specialist and Superior Custom Blinds is also located inside GLFC. It isn’t easy picking out window treatments, but she makes it fun and not-so-overwhelming. Stop in to see her affordable displays. And I had to include a photo of Jen’s dog, their 4-legged greeter “Rudy”, as he is always there when I’ve stopped in.
What I found interesting in touring the manufacturing space was that they are not just working in the Sault region, but downstate as well as out-of-state, most recently in Arizona. It hadn’t occurred to me that they can travel to a buyer’s location, provide the install or one can even have their installer take over the reins after production. There are many opportunities to expand moving forward.
With the purchase of 10 acres, Kim noted that they are able to expand if production continues to increase. The showroom is open from 8:00am-5:30pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 8:00am -5:00pm with evenings and Saturdays by appointment. Kim added that they regularly give clients tours so please feel free to stop up. Check out before and after shots here.
The Arbic’s are looking forward to hosting a Business After 5 event through the Sault Chamber of Commerce in early 2019 so be sure to come and tour the factory and showroom! Follow them on Facebook to watch their work.