Our History

The Story of Kitchen Magic.. and the Gnomes

It was 1979 and a clever business idea had captured Jost Fleck's imagination. It was called cabinet refacing and Joe (as he preferred to be called) recognized it as a smart way for homeowners to have a new kitchen that might otherwise have been beyond their budget. Instead of tearing out the whole kitchen, sturdy cabinets could be covered.  Joe realized, though, that consumers might worry that was only a temporary solution, so he devised a method for cabinet refacing that was so reliable and permanent he backed it with an unheard of, Lifetime of Home Ownership Warranty. 

  His wife Reine and their three daughters, Cindy Renate and Lotte, helped him open a tiny, low-budget basement office in Allentown, Pennsylvania that he nicknamed the “Mole Hole.”  They soon discovered the subterranean headquarters to be so flood prone that any heavy rain would have furniture floating around the room. Despite such setbacks and the overwhelming challenges of building an unproven business from scratch, Joe wagered everything the family had on the chance that his clever full- page newspaper ads would make the phones ring.

He made his first sales on the power of his enthusiasm and conviction alone. And as he worked from his second-hand desk (yes, we still have that old desk), Joe co-coordinated the installations of the very first Kitchen Magic kitchens. Believing that customer referrals would be better than any advertising he could pay for, he promised and delivered stellar results. 

So began the Kitchen Magic tradition of over-delivering on promises, and the story of  hard work and passion that overcame the darkness of a ‘mole hole’ for the light of success.  

"The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten." 

~ Jost J. Fleck, Founder

The Magic of the Humble Gnome

 We are often asked why gnomes are part of our logo, and there is good reason beyond their cuteness. A longstanding traditional European symbol of craftsmanship and handiness, gnomes are adept, clever and highly valued for their creative ingenuity.  Enterprising gnomes are always working behind the scenes to safeguard and care for their environment and are nurturing, selfless, happy creatures who lead simple lives. And though they carefully observe their surroundings, gnomes are never seen.

Jost and Reine Fleck chose the hardworking gnome as the symbol of Kitchen Magic's quality craftsmanship. Reine's late father, Stanley Waite, a professional commercial artist, brought them to life when he illustrated the original Kitchen Magic logo. Since 1979, our logo, like high standard of excellence, has remained unchanged.

 

 

Kitchen Magic: The Time Line

 

1998 Brett Bacho, Joe and Reine Fleck’s son-in law, takes the reins, is named Kitchen Magic President, and works together with the Flecks’ three daughters Lotte (his wife), Renate and Cindy to run day to day operations. 

 

 

2007 In response to demand from kitchen customers, Kitchen Magic launches Bathroom Magic, Inc. ‘Refreshingly Affordable Solutions for the Bathroom.'

2008 Kitchen Magic expands services into the state of Delaware.

2009 Kitchen Magic begins providing customers with storage solutions by launching Closet and Home Organization by Kitchen Magic.

2010 Kitchen Magic relocates to a new, state of the art facility in Nazareth, Pennsylvania