The closet industry is seeing real growth for the first time in a long time, with many designers and manufacturers reporting
a spurt of new projects and improved
business conditions.
Research also suggests homeowners
view closet remodeling as a way to not
only improve home values, but also to
provide a significant return on investments.
Various closet options are available,
from floor-mounted organizing systems
to wall-hung units. Another option offered by Duluth, Minnesota-based Real
Closet Inc. is a patented hybrid of sorts
that the company says can revolutionize the industry, providing the support,
flexibility and all wood furniture-look of
floor mounted systems with the perks of
a floating, wall-mounted system, namely
not having to deal with base moulding
and uneven floors.
Owner and inventor Brian Billman
founded Real Closet Inc. in 2009
during the depths of a recession, and
the business has flourished over the
years. Currently, the company has six
employees that work at the10,000-
square-foot plant, plus 29 field reps and
400 dealers in North America as well
as in the Grand Cayman Islands and
Puerto Rico.
Billman started out as a cabinetmaker
and then later became a dealer for the
Minnesota-based Dura Supreme kitchen
cabinet line. But as the demand for closets increased and the kitchen and bath
industry evolved to a more custom look,
Billman says he saw an opportunity to
provide a new and affordable option in
modular closet organizing systems.