Dieter Nickel is reflecting on the past this week as his company approaches its 40th birthday.
Nickels Custom Cabinets — now located at 6760 Graybar Road — was founded in a Richmond garage in 1979, which Nickel, 60, had convinced his father, Peter, to help him build.
“In many ways it seems just like yesterday,” said Nickel in a press release.
Since then, the company has spent the last four decades making furniture-quality cabinetry, and Nickel credits this success to his family and 80 employees.
“Without the support of my wife Sue and my family, and the team of dedicated employees, we would not be where we are today,” said Nickel in a press release.
Nickel learned the value of hard work very young, while living on an agricultural commune in Paraguay — where his family had settled after fleeing economic and religious persecution in Russia prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.
And in 1966, Nickel and his family moved to British Columbia, and said he is thankful for the kindness the Canadian government offered his family and the Mennonite community.
“Canada gave our family a chance to start over in a democratic society based on the rule of law and ever since then I’ve always been immensely grateful,” said Nickel in a press release.
“While our employees learn a variety of different tasks, they have also taught me, and the rest of the staff, new methods of doing things and a different way of looking at the world,” said Nickel in a release.
The company has also expanded beyond Metro Vancouver borders, shipping products throughout Western Canada and to the United States. Nickels Cabinets is also looking at expanding into Ontario.
The company will be celebrating its 40th birthday on Thursday, Sept. 26 in a private event with its customers. Nickels Cabinets will also be unveiling their updated corporate logo and newly-renovated showroom.
