CROWN POINT CABINETRY Offering more budget-friendly options than ever
09/13/2024 04:27PM ● By MERYL SIEGMAN
Crown Point Cabinetry has always been a trendsetter. Founded in 1979 by Norm and Deanna Stowell in a humble garage, the New Hampshire company has established itself as the cabinetmaker of choice throughout the US.
Early on, all seven of the couple’s children joined Norm and Dee in the family business. Working for Dad wasn’t new to the three oldest boys, who, at the tender ages of eight, ten, and twelve, spent the summer of 1969 working with Norm in his construction business.
Twenty-five years later, at the age of thirty-five, Brian was tasked with running Crown Point. Teaming up with his wife, Becky, they reinvented how they would build and sell their fine-quality custom cabinetry. Backed by a team of skilled artisans, Brian and Becky implemented many brilliant changes, landing the company in a class of its own. Content that the family business would succeed in the next generation, Norm and Dee retired in 2001.
With cabinetry in handsome Clary Sage, this Crown Select kitchen offers ample storage and breakfast seating.
INNOVATION FROM EARLY ON
Brian’s first prescient innovation occurred in 1990 when he came up with the novel idea of selling directly to customers rather than requiring them to purchase cabinets through a dealer. Although Norm was skeptical about the concept, he trusted Brian’s instincts, and it wasn’t long before Crown Point Cabinetry became the first cabinetmaker in the country to sell direct on a national and international scale.
At the helm, Brian took the business to the next level, creating a larger footprint through advertising and, more importantly, relationship building. Brian says of his strategy, “We focus on quality craftsmanship. We use fine-quality materials. We keep our word. We provide outstanding service. We have to be better because we don’t have a network of showrooms.” He says, “To be able to build custom cabinetry, have it beautifully crafted as promised, deliver it on schedule, make sure it fits, and have extremely happy clients is no small task. But that is what we do at Crown Point Cabinetry. It isn’t easy. It takes a lot of work and an incredibly dedicated team to do this every day.”
For his next act, Brian fine-tuned Crown Point’s operations to make the company run more efficiently without sacrificing quality. He says, “Dad let me reinvent the way we built cabinetry. We used to have too much re-work through the building process because it wasn’t quality-first focused. Clients were always happy when they received their cabinetry, but it was unprofitable to have so much re-work during the initial process.” This is no longer a problem. Brian says that, with the change, every one of the company’s employees is responsible for quality the first time around. The results are apparent. “You can’t ship custom cabinetry to the Caribbean and sleep at night if you don’t trust your cabinetmakers. And I do. We built a great program, but it is our amazing crew that is famous for delivering quality work on time. This only works if we focus on quality first through the process.”
Today, the company runs a modern 100,000-square-foot facility, which Brian describes as “the most beautiful showroom you’ve ever set foot in.” Clients come from all over the country to tour the facility and work with a designer to plan their projects for virtually every room in the house, including kitchens, bathrooms, pantries, mud rooms, and laundry rooms.
CROWN SELECT—A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT
Everyone knows that fine-quality custom cabinetry can be expensive, certainly costing more than shopping at a big box store. Aware of this fact, Brian, for years, had been tossing around the idea of a line of Crown Point cabinetry that was more affordable for homeowners with limited budgets. “Builders have repeatedly told us that they wished all their clients could afford our product,” he says. “But unfortunately, it is not in everyone’s budget.”
Two prior attempts to create a lower-cost line came up short. “When you put your name on something, you have to be careful. I wanted to offer a line of custom cabinetry that sold for 25 percent less but with the quality we are known for.” Fortunately for Brian, the third try was the charm: He and his team came up with a solution. “Part of the cost of custom cabinetry is the ability to reinvent the wheel. So, we simplified the offerings without reducing the quality. There is ninimal value engineering in this line. We have the same craftspeople working with quality materials. All wood construction, dovetail drawers, and our oven-baked finish allow us to be proud to put our name on this product.”
The majority of the savings were realized by limiting the offerings that can make the entire cabinetmaking process excessively challenging. Brian puts it simply: “We can build Crown Select cabinets efficiently and give our customers what they want at a different price point. I tell people that Crown Select is our Toyota, while Crown Point is our Lexus.”
In many ways, the Crown Select line is hard to distinguish from its more expensive, fully customized counterpart. The most visible evidence is maple interiors and drawers vs. walnut interior and drawers, with Crown Select being handcrafted to Crown Point Cabinetry’s extremely high-quality standards.
This neutral-toned Crown Select kitchen features an integrated refrigerator with custom appliance panels matching the Enfield door style.
A CROWN SELECT SUCCESS STORY
After its introduction, Brian saw the Crown Select line grow to 50 percent of the company’s sales. Despite this success, Brian decided to shift gears once again. In response to the escalating costs of home construction and concern over a coming recession, Brian wanted to make the Crown Select line even more enticing to potential buyers. Brian emphasizes, “Because of these reasons, we put a focus on expanding the Crown Select line, adding three times as many options, accessories, sizes, and styles, guaranteeing our success no matter what the market does.”
Sales have continued to climb in 2024. Brian concludes, “People want a quality fit and finish without breaking the bank. The other option is to go to a big box retailer. When you make that comparison, this is where Crown Select shines!”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CROWN POINT CABINETRY
