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ANMAR Cabinets continues to grow

Stephan Kleiser
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Andrew Marquis doesn’t sit still for long - he is too busy for that.
And it has always been that way. When he was still in college earning his diploma in industrial woodworking (at Conestoga), he was also supervising as many as 15 employees at the same company that had initially hired him as an apprentice.
These days, Marquis - who just recently moved his company ANMAR Cabinets Inc. to a new, larger shop - is juggling the business of actually running that shop and delivering orders, while at the same time overseeing the development of new corporate branding, a new website as well as work on completing the new showroom that is attached to the new shop and which will feature heavily in his future growth plans.
“I have never had a showroom before, I am very excited about that, it will really help show off our products and designs to customers,” Marquis says when he finally sat still long enough for this interview.
Marquis, 32, has been in the business for more than a 15 years and in business for himself 10 years this summer. But had it not been for a, “fantastic shop teacher who recognized my talent and encouraged me,” Marquis isn’t sure what he would be doing now.
“I always liked building things and I took some shop classes in high school, but what really made the difference for me was that teacher,” he says.
“And the fact that the school was just doing a major renovation to the shop and other facilities meant our class got to build a lot of the stuff that was needed.”
It was difficult getting into the apprenticeship program since not many companies are willing to take on an apprentice. It took him months to find something, but Marquis never gave up since that’s what he really wanted to do.
“I just didn’t think I would learn enough taking a regular two-year program without much actual experience,” he says. “I wanted to do an apprenticeship because you get to know every aspect of the business, there is always something new, a new and different challenge every day and since I am a visual learner it was perfect for me because I could just watch the guys do something and learn it that way.”
He also had a shop set up in parents’ basement and when he wasn’t busy at school, he built things at home.
“Woodworking is not just a job for me, it really is my passion, it’s all I want to do.”

Talk to Marquis and that passion shows and that along with his obvious skills are the reason why he was made shop foreman at age 19, while he was still completing his education.

After 5 1⁄2 years working for the company where he apprenticed, he decided to go out on his own. The company was bought out by another, larger one, but Marquis didn’t like the direction it was going so he quit his job. He worked as a custom cabinetmaker for a while before deciding to open his own shop.

Initially, it was just a smallish space in Georgetown, because that’s all he could afford and it wasn’t too far away from Brampton. Marquis has always paid cash for purchases, no loans, and so starting out in a small space was just how he liked to operate. But then 18 months later, when he could afford it, he moved to a larger shop back in Brampton. That’s when the business really started to take off and over the next few years he first doubled the size of the shop and then added a third space just down the road for a total of about 5,000 sq. ft.

“Up until then I had used outside finishers, but it was too much hassle and when you are doing high end custom work, it’s all about the finish,” Marquis says. “So I added the ‘third’ shop just for finishing work.”

This February, the company completed the latest move to Bram Court in Brampton. Some 7,000 sq. ft. including a showroom that is expected to be completed by fall.

Marquis thinks this will be the company’s home for many years to come. There is room to grow the business and increase production.

“I just invested $100,000 in shop upgrades and spent a lot of time on the move and all the planning that went into it, now I have to focus on the business again,” he says.

With most of his customers in the GTA, some expansion into Cottage Country and notwithstanding the economic downturn, Marquis is in the enviable position of having seen his business grow every single year over the past 10 years. Most of his business comes from custom homebuilders who have very specific needs, some from designers and architects and a very small portion from friends and direct calls from clients. But all of it is word of mouth.

“My business is all about the product, not the bottom line,” Marquis says and adds people know the work and that’s how he gets referrals. But once the new showroom is open, he expects that balance to shift slightly.

“It’s hard for people to look at a picture or take your word for it, I think once I will be able to actually show them my work, I will get more orders directly from the public.”

Next, he will also get involved with the Brampton Board of Trade and launch advertising aimed at specific markets, markets with high-end homes, markets where people are looking for the kind of custom work few can offer.

On weekends, Marquis also likes to spend time in the shop, his wife Leigh-Anne knows all about that, but because of the kids – 2 young boys – he is ‘better’ about that now, he says with a smile.

An official grand opening is planned for early fall; in the meantime Marquis has his work cut out for himself. Not only will he have to fulfill customer orders, but he also has to produce piece for the new showroom. He is going to be busy, but then that’s just how he likes it.

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