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Oct 2023

Last Updated: 04/10/2023

Business

'I loved my 6-month job so much I’ve stayed for 20 years' says Knaresborough business owner

by Flora Grafton

| 04 Oct, 2023

This story is sponsored by Knaresborough Kitchens.

A Knaresborough business owner began his job on a 6-month contract but, 20 years later, he is still there.

Matt Johnson, Owner of Knaresborough Kitchens, initially took on the role to help his parents short-term after graduating from university. Now married and a father-of-four, Matt has watched the company grow and succeed – and hasn’t looked back since.

Knaresborough Kitchens, located on the town’s high street, was launched in 1996 by Matt’s parents. The company provides timeless and stylish kitchens, ranging from sleek modern units to traditional country-look cupboards.

It also offers customers an entirely bespoke service. Whether you’re searching for your forever kitchen, the highest-technology German units to host friends, or just something different to everyone else, Knaresborough Kitchens can provide you with the kitchen of your dreams, with a smile on their faces.

If there’s one thing Knaresborough Kitchens prides itself on, its quality. It excels in the materials your heart and wallet desires; from classic painted kitchens with Quartz work surfaces, to boiling water taps and state-of-the-art appliances.

The front-runner of the company’s values, however, is customer care. Matt and his team not only compete with national suppliers on price, but as a local family business, they also work customer satisfaction at the forefront of their minds.

Matt told the Stray Ferret:

"We take our roles very seriously and customers are at the forefront of what we do and why we do it.

"We have customers who have become good friends over the years. One local couple have had 3 kitchens from us in 20 years!"

Over the years, the Knaresborough Kitchens team has multiplied and now has three friendly faces to welcome customers. The Office Manager, Janet, has worked for the company for over 20 years, while Designer, Hazel, and Installations Manager, Sam, joined later. All are extremely valuable members of staff.

Following the pandemic, Matt’s parents retired from the business. He said “they went home and never came back!”

Matt added:

"The business was started in 1996 by my parents and I joined after university in 2002. I loved it so much after 6 months I've stayed an extra 20 years!

"I spent over 20 years working everyday with my parents and I do miss them being in the business. However, they worked for over 40 years and are finally enjoying well-earned retirement."

Knaresborough Kitchens has seen significant growth over the years, but has seen its greatest accolade so far just this year: the company bought its showroom premises after 27 years of renting.

Matt added:

"We bought our building from the landlord after 27 years of renting – that was pretty major for us.

"Hopefully that helps makes sure we’re on Knaresborough High Street for another 27 years…"

The company also receives frequent recognition from customers for its relentless efforts, as well as industry-wide features in notable magazines and publications.

Despite the company’s growing success and Matt’s devotion to the company, his focus has shifted from world-wide expansion to local optimisation. For this reason, he made the tough decision to close the York showroom earlier this year. He said:

"In my 20s (before kids) I was very ambitious to expand the business - almost at the expense of anything else. Now I’m in my 40s and I have 4 children under 13, I do like to spend as much time with them as I can.

"That was one of the reasons we closed our York showroom earlier in the year. The lease was running out and it had become rather time consuming and stressful running another showroom 25 miles away. I made the decision, therefore, to close the showroom and be based in Knaresborough all week.

"So, my plans are to keep getting better at what we do and make sure all our customers are happy with our kitchens and service!”

It’s clear Knaresborough Kitchens has gone from strength-to-strength over the last 27 years, but thanks to the team’s dedication to providing the highest-quality kitchens and ultimate customer satisfaction, the company sees no sign of slowing down the success.

To find out more about Knaresborough Kitchens, visit knaresboroughkitchens.co.uk or call 01423 862286. Alternatively, you can pop into the showroom located at the bottom of Knaresborough High Street.