Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael DiChiara.
Michael, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My father, S. Joseph DiChiara, was born in Saugus to Italian immigrants. He was the oldest son of 7 and the family did not have much money. He left school at 15 to work in his father’s contracting business to help his family.
Joe started the business J. DiChiara & Sons, Inc. in 1971.He started as a general contractor specializing in home improvements. He and my mother Jackie ran the business out of their house in Saugus. After high school in 1981 I came to work for him. I worked full time and got my college degree at night from Salem State College.
In 1986 we rented a space in Saugus Center and had a small kitchen showroom. We added kitchen sales to our business. In 1989 we bought a building in Saugus Center and made a much larger showroom and added our offices on the second level.
Joe passed away in 2016 and my mother Jackie retired a couple years before that. I now run the business. We still do general contracting and we still are a wholesaler of kitchen cabinets, countertops and accessories. I have been designing kitchens, bathrooms and spaces for over 37 years. We are well known for our knowledge in the industry and craftsmanship. We have been in business for over 47 years and look forward to the next 47. We sell to contractors, builders and homeowners. We also do the work for homeowners.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a fairly smooth road. We have been through three recessions. Each one of them were trying but we made it through and became stronger after each. We lost a lot of our cabinet customers to bankruptcy in the last recession. It took time to build new relationships and gain new customers.
Please tell us about J. DiChiara & Sons, Inc.
What I’m most proud of is that we have an excellent reputation. I’m proud that our reputation is that we are professionals and do expert work but what I’m most proud of is our reputation of being honest, trustworthy and fair. I believe that our willingness to do the right thing for our customers, even if it means less profit, is what sets us apart.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory is playing sports in the street with my friends all summer and after school. Whatever season it was is what we played.
Contact Info:
- Address: 327 Central St.
Saugus Center - Website: www.jdichiarasons.com
- Phone: 781-233-9105
- Email: mike@jdichiarasons.com
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