Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Starr.
Matt, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1913, shortly after emigrating to Boston from Russia, my great-grandfather Max Starr founded Boston Showcase Company. Initially a millwork and cabinet maker, Boston Showcase transformed into a commercial kitchen equipment and supplies dealer in the middle of the 20th century. Under the stewardship of my grandfather Jason Starr, the company developed into a leading supplier to New England’s food service industry, outfitting many of the top restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and more with all of their kitchen equipment and supply needs.
My father Jack and his brother Alan currently own and operate the business, and my cousin Andy and I represent the fourth generation of our family’s ownership at Boston Showcase. Although I grew up working in the warehouse and making deliveries throughout High School and College, I have officially been working full time at the business since May 2011. Needless to say, I was born into this business.
Has it been a smooth road?
From the outside, it probably seems easy to join a family business that is already well-established, but it comes with a unique set of challenges. When a business has had success for so many years (104 in our case), it is hard to see the need to change the way we do things; however, the world has changed so much around us, that our customers’ and employees’ expectations have drastically changed as well. Balancing the need for change with a desire to stay the course is a constant struggle. When you mix in some family dynamics and a lot of long-term employees (many of whom worked for my grandfather), it can become even more complex.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Boston Showcase Company is a distributor of commercial kitchen equipment and supplies. We do everything from kitchen layout and design, to helping customers pick the perfect items for their tabletop. We sell and install the largest pieces of equipment in a kitchen (walk-in coolers, exhaust hoods, ovens, stoves and more) to the supplies needed in any kitchen (pots, pans, spatulas, knives, tongs, etc) and then all of the items that might be needed in a bar or dining room (glassware, china, flatware, etc.)
We are incredibly proud of the long-term relationships we have with our customers and we are always looking for new partners that we think we can help. While we are of course in the business of selling our products, what we are really selling is solutions, anything that can help our customers operate more efficiently and effectively. We know how challenging it can be to run a restaurant so we want to be the easiest vendor that our customers deal with.
We truly feel that it is our commitment to customer service that sets us apart. We are not the biggest company in our industry (nor the smallest) and we are often selling the exact same products as our competitors. The way we differentiate ourselves is by being flexible, proactive and as easy to work with as possible.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Boston is experiencing such an unbelievable boom right now that it has been great for our industry. Whether it is the countless restaurants opening, the new office buildings that come equipped with employee cafeterias, or the continued build-out of assisted living facilities, wherever there is construction, there are kitchens. While business is continuing to boom for the few local companies in our industry, the market is rather saturated with some very old companies, so I would think it would be a difficult space to enter at this point. With that said, there are a lot of opportunities available in our industry and it is a great space for young people looking to start a career in food service.
Contact Info:
- Address: 66 Winchester St. Newton Highlands, MA 02461
- Website: www.bostonshowcase.com
- Phone: 617-965-1100
- Email: matt@bostonshowcase.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bostonshowcasecompany/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BostonShowcaseCompany
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Boston_Showcase
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bostonshowcasecompany/
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