For years, Parsons Cabinetry has been an integral part of the Montclair business landscape. Executing the vision of its founder, Dr. Winfield L. Parsons IV, who recently passed away, Parsons Cabinetry continues to design and create wonderful home products such as custom kitchens, bathrooms, wall units, closets, and many more top tier work.
The Montclair Dispatch had the pleasure of speaking with Dan Parsons, Winfield’s son and Parson’s Cabinetry employee, about his father, the founding of the company and new ideas that could bring changes in the future.
“Parsons Cabinetry was founded by my father, Dr. Winfield L Parsons IV and his brother (my uncle) Stephen Parsons, in 1988. My father had an engineering background and a Ph.D. degree from Texas A&M University. His primary job was a college professor at Montclair State University prior to founding the company – all-around a pretty inventive and handy guy.”
Dan explained that the “initial desire to start the company came out of the need to supplement the salary he was making as a professor, summers off of school, and also to use Steve’s skills as a cabinetmaker which he learned from other local artisans. His interest in design, engineering, and meeting a few local craftsmen led him to establish the cabinet company. Steve had moved to the area to pursue other career opportunities, learned cabinetry, and became an obvious business partner – Winfield did the outside work, Steve the inside work.”
Eventually, the company’s family roster expanded further, as Dan’s mother, Tracy Parsons, “came on board in the early ’90s as lead designer and salesperson. Tracy’s brother, Dave Cook, joined [the company] in the early ’90s as well as a builder/designer/manager and stayed with us for about 12 years. The next three decades we’ve been fortunate enough to have some of the best craftsmen and builders work under our roof.”
“We’ve always maintained a high quality of work and we would also not be where we are today without our manager, Mark McCarthy, and the rest of the current team we have in the shop and out in the field. Throughout my life, I’ve always been in and around the business – working summers and helping out when needed. It was only when my father got ill I quit my job in NYC and came on board 100%. Upon the passing of my dad, Tracy and uncle Steve own the business together.”
Dan also spoke to the task of keeping a business relevant in this fast-paced, technologically driven world. “A big change that I’ve been spearheading is modernizing our online presence and maintaining our social media accounts. It seems this day and age every company needs to have an Instagram/facebook/twitter to keep up with the times and make sure people know you exist. If you go dark on social media people may get the wrong impression! Using Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc., is also a great way for customers to check out our work and share ideas with us of the cabinetry they’d like to have.”
According to Dan, Parsons Cabinetry is also always looking to make their operation more efficient. Dan elaborated by saying, We’ve done a lot of work lately that incorporates electronic and smart home technology directly into the cabinets. We’re constantly working with our suppliers on what the newest technologies are and how they can improve our cabinetry.” The cabinetry company is also looking to expand their clientele beyond the greater New York and New Jersey area.
With the passing of Dan’s father, Dr. Winfield Parsons, the company is heading toward a generational shift. Dan kindly addressed the challenges that this transition can bring. “As of now, the company is in the safe hands of Tracy and Steve Parsons. I think one of the biggest challenges, when my dad passed away (besides the emotions involved with it), was maintaining our presence around town and with local designers, architects, and builders. Over the last year, I think we’ve succeeded in keeping our name out there and it shows with the number of projects we’re currently working on.”
Dan continued by saying, “I’m utilizing my time with my uncle, mother, and the rest of the Parsons team to prepare myself for that major generational shift. There is a lot to learn in order to provide the quality, attention to detail and superior client service.”
Despite the changes and challenges they may face, Parsons Cabinetry is continuing to provide their leading services, and their family-oriented business, to all of your household construction needs.
The author of the article is a Montclair native class of 2017, currently a student at McGill University, studying history and communications within the Faculty of Arts.
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