35 years in business

THE

CHOICE

by Katie Leibel

Rolling through downtown White Bear Lake on Highway 61 a handful of landmarks stand out. The clock tower, small shops, ice cream stands and restaurants. Standing out among these is Preferred Kitchens, a 25- year veteran on the corner of 2nd Street and Highway 61.

Preferred Kitchens was born in Fridley in 1985 said owner Mark Klosterman and after 10 years in business was looking for a new home closer to more of the clients with which they were working. After an exhaustive search, White Bear Lake became the clear choice and with a leap of faith, made the jump.

The business was embraced by the community immediately and now approaching 35 years in business have stated that it’s been one of the best business decisions they could have made.

“One thing we found with the White Bear Lake community is there are multi-generational families here and people tend to stay here. I think it’s a very unique quality that speaks to the fact that this is a great place to live. We very much value being part of this kind of environment” Klosterman said.

Preferred Kitchens’ approach to its business model is to be a true asset to the community centered around improving the livability of the homes around the immediate area. The focus is primarily on kitchen and bath remodeling, but the business is also eager to help its neighbors find that replacement hinge to fix their existing cabinet.

Christen Kriesel, project manager and designer, stated that our tag line is “real life renovations.” What this means is that the business wants to be a value to everyone in the community that needs its services whether your project is small or large.

Paul Dols | SaVour Magazine

Preferred Kitchens wants to help you with your starter home, your aging in place needs and larger homes sitting on and around the lake.

Kriesel, like the rest of the team, wear many hats and they do so proudly. In a small business everyone has to be able to work in many areas to keep things moving. According to Kriesel this is an important part of Preferred Kitchens: teamwork and the willingness to take the extra step. Klosterman added, “Everybody in our organization likes and is really good at what they’re doing. I feel like I want to share these folks with the community because they are that good.”

Team work is what helps make projects they are working on go smoothly from the beginning to the end of each project. They are a company that specializes in what they call design/build. They help bring that concept you have sketched on a napkin into a real life renovation.

Preferred Kitchens 4,000 squarefoot showroom is designed to make its clients feel “at home” when they visit. A comfortable place to meet and not feel overwhelmed, but with all the elements to help develop their project. Everyone working at Preferred Kitchens has had hands on “sweat equity” in what you will see there.

Over the years, this business has seen much competition and one of the questions that frequently gets asked is “Why should I choose Preferred Kitchens?” The answer is this. There are plenty of good choices out there for product that are as good as what you have to choose from at Preferred Kitchens. What sets them apart is their team’s and their dedication to each of their respective crafts and the continued effort to always strive to find ways to do what they do even better.

One of the things Preferred Kitchens does that brings past clients back for help with their newest project need is creating a work schedule that outlines the beginning to end process of completing their project on time. They use this tool to keep themselves accountable.

Now the big question is, with the COVID-19 pandemic showing little signs of slowing down, have they been able to continue business as usual? For the most part the answer is yes.

Well before the pandemic hit, the business made great efforts to control the

work environment with access and dust control to provide a safe workspace for its trades people and protection for the homeowner while working in their home. Additionally, the showroom is disinfected after each client meeting. Also available is an online showroom tour on their website and many of their client meetings are done virtually in our effort to keep everyone safe.

Kriesel said, “We continue to look forward to being a rock in our community and a place people can come to when they need help in their home. Mark, always needing to get in the last word said, “our team is multigenerational, some grey haired wisdom combined with the best young talent in the business is what makes our 35 year success story one that will only get better.”

CLASSIC LOBSTER ROLL 1/4 pound fresh lobster claw never cut never compromised

HOUSE SPECIAL Sausage, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, green peppers; made with 100% real cheese and Carbone’s secret sauce recipe

PASTOR PLATE Marinated pork meat, served with pinneaple, rice, beans, pico de gallo and tortillas

WOODFORD RESERVE BOURBON Classic cherry infused Old Fashioned

BLOODY MARY Zing Zang bloody mary mix, with olives, pickle, and a beef stick with vodka; comes with a beer chaser

JARRITOS The best-selling, naturally flavored soft drink brand in Mexico

2171 4th St, White Bear Lake | MN manitougrill.com (651) 426-2300

1350 Hwy 96 E, White Bear Lake | MN carboneswhitebearlake.com (651) 429-7609 Hwy 61, North Suite 3 White Bear Township | MN redlunatacofactory.com (651) 788-7136

NO. 3 SUPREME & NO. 16 FUNGO No. 3 Supreme (top) with Whiz No. 16 Fungo (bottom), mushroom, truffle oill and garlic

STEAMED SEA BASS Tender, light sea bass with ginger and green onions with house soy sauce

JEWELS OF THE SEA Sea food chowder parred with Dashwood sauvignon blanc

GRAPEFRUIT SUPREME 50/50 blend of lager and fruity soda braced by bright grapefruit flavor and gentle tartness

3088 White Bear Ave, Maplewood | MN tonomn.com (651) 243-1000

MAI TAI-BACARDI Triple sec, malibu, pineapple juice, orange juice, Meyers dark rum and grenadine

RESTAURANT

1190 County Road J, White Bear Township | MN orchid-restaurant.com (651) 426-3558

ST. GERMAINE ELDER FLOWER LIQUOR Sauvignon Blanc topped with Persecco and shaken with love

4725 Hwy 61 N, White Bear Lake | MN ingredientscafe.com (651) 426-6611

FRESH PRODUCE

Our produce is shipped daily to our stores at the peak of freshness. We source locally and around the globe with growers who meet our high-quality standards.

Fresh IS BEST! Lunds & Byerlys supplies all the flavors of summer. Lundsandbyerlys.com

MEAT & SEAFOOD

Our meat & seafood department offers a wide range of sustainable seafood, premium choice beef, all-natural premium pork and so much more. We’re here to ensure the center of your plate is the talk of the table.

DELI

Whether you need a side dish or a grab-and-go lunch, our deli has you covered with chef-prepared meals, sides and fresh salads.