Comox Valley Record Story

May 02 2008
New home will have Valley’s biggest showroom

staff at inspired spaces by Harbour Kitchens and More Inc. are getting ready to move their showroom and shop to the former Bingo Palace at the corner of 29th Street and Kilpatrick Avenue by the end of 2008. PHOTO by lindsay chung

By Lindsay Chung Record Staff
Inspired Spaces by Harbour Kitchens and More Inc. in Courtenay is gearing up for a big move.
The custom cabinet shop, which manufactures kitchens, vanities, wallbeds, entertainment units and more, will be moving its showroom and shop from two separate locations to the former Bingo Palace building at the corner of 29th Street and Kilpatrick Avenue.
Currently, Inspired Spaces’ showroom is located at 1910 Cliffe Ave., while the shop is at 2683D Moray Ave.
The company, owned by Ron Wagemaker, jumped at the opportunity to purchase the old Bingo Palace because it is a prime location, and having the shop and showroom in one space will increase its ability to serve customers, said Lynn Hempinski-Baker, the director of operations.
“We have such a good quality product, we wanted to keep our focus on that. We do amazing work. We just want to improve our facility, and we want to improve our timelines, and that’s what this building will do. The whole idea is to have our clients be 100-per-cent satisfied, and by having the shop and showroom together, that will be achieved.”
Inspired Spaces will move into the former Bingo Palace by the end of 2008.
The company will use the existing hall as its shop and build an addition in front of it to house the showroom.
The showroom will be about the same size as the hall and will be the Valley’s biggest display room, said Hempinski-Baker.
It will include a warm and welcoming reception area.
“That’s important so when people come in, they have a place to sit and look through design books and sit with a designer,” she said.
The new building will also have space for staff rooms, offices and lunchrooms, which the company does not have right now.
The company plans on putting a new facade on the existing building and building the addition so they match.
“We’ll beautify that corner,” said Hempinski-Baker.
Inspired Spaces is planning to design its new space with spa-like subdued natural colours and styles.
“It will be a very grounded, calming place,” said Hempinski-Baker. “We want it to be very relaxing. We want it to be a really neat experience, right from the time you see the building to shopping with us.”
Inspired Spaces is also planning to do a lot of landscaping upgrades on the property.
The company has also purchased a parcel of land behind the Bingo Palace and will be selling it.
Inspired Spaces is letting people know about its new location with a giant indoor garage sale this weekend at the Bingo Palace building at 2871 Kilpatrick Ave.
“This will give people a really good opportunity to come out and have a look at what we’re doing,” said Hempinski-Baker.
The sale, which has previously been held annually in the showroom parking lot, runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and will feature products from the current showroom and shop.
Staff is excited about the move, said Hempinski-Baker.
“Showroom staff are just chomping at the bit for sure. The shop stuff are working in such a cramped area, it might be overwhelming to be in three times the space. It’s a dream come true; it’s very surreal.”
Inspired Spaces by Harbour Kitchens and More Inc. was established in 1996 as a one-man operation.
There are now 18 full-time employees, including an in-house efficiency expert, two ticketed sawyers, an in-house sprayer, three installers and four designers.