Unlimited possibilities

George cabinet business expands with Moses Lake showroom

COLUMBIA BASIN - Walk-in traffic isn't a common occurrence for Eric Streich at his business, Design Unlimited, which he operates out of his home in George.

"Where I'm at, I've never and probably never will have one walk-in customer," he said with a grin. "Because I'm out in the real rural farm area."

Streich began Design Unlimited in 1990. He had begun with a background in home design, but had also spent five years in Montana in the kitchen cabinet business.

When home design business slowed, Streich decided to get back into cabinets.

He moved to the George area in 1989, to be closer to his wife's family.

Streich decided to open a location in Moses Lake last fall. The showroom, located at 206 S. Division St., opened in October.

Streich said his business had been essentially as a cabinet broker, where he wouldn't even go to a construction site.

"That was how I was able to keep it functioning in such a remote location," he said. "Then I thought it would be nice to have a showroom because, there's a lot of people out there, especially in Moses Lake, local people need to see something and put their hands on things, so we need to have something to show them."

Wendi Wilson works as a commission-based salesperson at the Moses Lake location.

"I wanted to have a little more freedom and a little more designing," Wilson explained. "I wanted it to be more, the more I sold, the more I would make. Being at an hourly job, if you get paid hourly, whether you sold $500 or I sold $50,000 in cabinets, it didn't matter."

Wilson had known Streich for several years, and decided it would be a good idea to open the storefront.

Streich said Wilson had already been working with kitchens and kitchen design and was familiar the software the business uses at her previous job.

"It was actually a perfect fit for her to come in and there was very little training to be done," he said.

The majority of cabinets come from Canyon Creek and Merrilat. The business offers cabinets for new constructions, remodels, renovations and works with some companies which handle water and fire damage.

"Either we go out and measure existing homes, or a lot of times people will bring us their blueprints, their plans, or we'll work with builders to come up with a design that fits their lifestyle and functions for them well, because everyone has their own desire of what they want in their kitchens," Wilson said.

Design Unlimited offers all cabinetry, including kitchens, bath, laundry rooms and entertainment centers. The business conducts a lot of business throughout the northwest, with Canyon Creek delivering their own cabinets on their own trucks, Streich said.

Wilson said the business recently put in cabinets in REC Silicon's new building.

Wilson enjoys helping customers come up with designs, and the freedom and flexibility in her personal schedule to be a mom.

If the business continues to grow, Streich foresees a day in which the showroom moves into a larger location.

"This is small by kitchen show room standards, and it's just because I wasn't sure of the reception we were going to get," he said. "So if business continues to improve like it has been, there could be a bigger showroom, the possibility I guess of other sales-people, but for right now, it's moving along pretty good."

The business is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment on evenings and weekends.

For more information, contact the Moses Lake show room at 509-760-7147 or Streich at 1-800-957-4353.