Closet Works Inc.

Closet Works Inc.
An Interview With David Cutler

David Cutler found himself in the closet industry long before most people in the United States even dreamed closet organization would mean anything more than double sliding doors with a metal bar stretching end-to-end across the small space. Cutler had spent his two years after college graduation working in show business, but he was ready to toss in the hat. In 1973, on a whim, he traveled with a friend to Israel, and ended up working for a year in a furniture factory that focused on clothes closets as well as other products. The working education would pay off years later, back on his home turf in Pennsylvania.

After running a number of unrelated but successful businesses, Cutler revisited his closet-building days in a roundabout way. Building a house and collecting bids for closets made him realize that prices were out of this world, and that he could create his own highly marketable designs. He bought a small facility, hired a few people, brought in a couple machines and started the wheels turning. Aside from making a profit his first year in operation, he decided the work was most enjoyable. Hence, Closet Works Inc. was born and would eventually make a name for itself as one of the largest retail closet companies in the Philadelphia area as well as the country.

WHAT LED YOU TO BELIEVE YOU COULD BE SUCCESSFUL AT THE START?

First of all, I am a very confident guy and I believe in myself. I have never been in a business that I didn’t make work. I was able to build a generator business from scratch to a $20 million company in eight years, so I had the confidence that I would be just as successful building Closet Works.

ARE YOU STILL INVOLVED IN CREATING THE DESIGNS?

I still have my finger on the pulse of all designs but I do not do the actual systems for customers any more. I am involved in creating the different components. These are then sent to the engineering department, and then these products are used by our design staff.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EMPLOY TODAY?

I started with three people, and now there are about 125. This includes 10 closet designers and four office designers.

WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR DESIGN WORK?

Our designs are based directly on the customers’ needs, so it really depends on the customer. We do not produce modular systems that the customer needs to pick from to design a closet. We see what the customer needs and then design around them.

There are basically three types of customers in this market. First are the people who buy components and install them. These are the do-it-yourselfers. Second is the middle market, in which we do a considerable amount of work. And lastly there is the real high-end market that may spend $50,000 for a closet. We do a significant amount of business in this market.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

We originally concentrated only on closets, but today closets are only one part of the equation. We are in home offices, garages, basements, bedrooms, kids’ furniture, pantries, entertainment centers and libraries. We will work with customers in any area they need, while other companies may not be able to.

WHAT IS CLOSET WORKS’ BEST ASSET?

Our people. We have the best people in the business. I could stack them against the staff in other company, even any kind of corporation or business, and my people would still be the best. We have dedicated, intelligent, hardworking people in every aspect of our business. Moreover, I have some of the same employees I had when I first opened up for business. There is a huge difference between operating a company with employees who have 15 years of experience compared with a one year of experience 15 times, if you know what I mean.

WHAT LIES AHEAD IN THE FUTURE FOR CLOSET WORKS?

I see continued growth branching into other areas. We continue to acquire the finest equipment available and there is more accurate wood-working machinery today than ever before. We have a higher degree of automation and higher levels of integration between software and hardware. Our capabilities just seem to increase right along with the quality of production.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU TO ACHIEVE THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS YOU’VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED?

There was a bank that no longer exists in Pennsylvania that had the motto: “We’ll find a way or make one.” I have adopted that motto and use it continually. It is a good way to go through life.

For more information on Closet Works Inc., visit www.closetworksinc.com.