Minnesota-Based Cabinet Company Picks Indiana for New Design Studio

Indianapolis – CliqStudios, the nation’s largest online retailer of semi-custom kitchen cabinets based on revenue, announced plans today to invest $5.1 million to locate a new cabinet design studio in downtown Indianapolis. As part of its growth, the company will create up to 200 new high-wage jobs by 2020.
“From Connersville to the heart of our state’s capital city, CliqStudios and its parent company, Wayzata Home Products, continue to create great new jobs in Indiana,” said Governor Mike Pence. “With CliqStudios’ decision to locate its new design studio in downtown Indianapolis, we’re seeing another company choose to grow in a state that has worked tirelessly to build one of the nation’s top business climates. Indiana businesses have added more than 161,000 new jobs since 2013, and CliqStudios’ expansion plans will support continued economic momentum and even more quality jobs for Hoosiers.”

The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company opened its new 10,000-square-foot design studio this week at 251 North Illinois St. in Indianapolis, which is the company’s first design studio outside of Minnesota. The open and collaboration-oriented office includes training facilities, offices and creative work spaces, allowing designers to remotely work with clients from across the nation to design creative and functional kitchens. This new design studio will allow the company to support its dramatic growth, which has doubled the size of the company annually for the last two years.

CliqStudios is a subsidiary of Wayzata Home Products, which manufactures CliqStudios cabinets at a 1.5 million-square-foot facility at 4747 Western Ave. in Connersville. Following the company’s 2013 announcement that it planned to locate a manufacturing facility in Indiana, Wayzata Home Products opened the facility in March 2014 and is on track to add a total of 309 new jobs in Fayette County by the end of 2018.

“CliqStudios sought out Indianapolis as the location of our first design studio outside of Minnesota because we were attracted to the high quality of job applicants as well as the number of schools offering programs in interior design and kitchen design,” said Joy Schmelzer, vice president of customer experience at CliqStudios. “We were impressed with how supportive the community has been of our initiative to bring jobs and look forward to continued partnerships to grow and develop our team in Indiana.”

Founded in 2010, CliqStudios is changing how consumers remodel their homes by selling cabinets factory direct nationwide through its website, CliqStudios.com. By buying direct consumers earn significant savings on their cabinets while still receiving products specifically designed for their space. CliqStudios sells its kitchen cabinets and related products online, reaching homeowners through social media, television – including HGTV – as well as through national home and lifestyle magazines.

Most of the newly created jobs will be for professional kitchen designers who work with homeowners nationwide to plan and design kitchen construction or remodeling projects. CliqStudios is also hiring management, training and office associates. Positions are expected to offer average salaries more than 40 percent higher than the state’s average wage. Interested applicants may apply online athttp://www.cliqstudios.com/careers/.
“The internet age has empowered consumers to seek out ways of truly customizing their living spaces,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “CliqStudios has embraced this trend, and is investing in the future of custom kitchen cabinetry solutions. We’re excited that the new design workshop of CliqStudios will soon call Indianapolis home and bring with it many high-wage jobs.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered CliqStudios LLC up to $1.8 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Indianapolis supports the project in partnership with Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber.

CliqStudios’ growth continues a trend of job growth across Indiana, with announcements in Indianapolis just this week from Lewellyn Technology, TriMedx and Team 360 Services, which together plan to add 275 new Hoosier jobs. Indiana has added 161,000 new jobs since 2013, with more Hoosiers working today than ever before in the state’s 200-year history.