Behind Bilotta Kitchen & Home — which was founded as a construction company by Jim Bilotta Sr. in 1955 and has grown to be a premier source for high-end kitchens — is an unwavering passion for design that spans generations. With Bilotta Sr.’s children at the helm — Maria, Regina, and Jim Jr. — this Westchester-based company is showing no signs of slowing down. Here, Regina opens up about honoring her father’s legacy.
When was the company founded and by whom?
Regina Bilotta: When Jim Bilotta, Sr. returned from the Korean War in 1953, he and his new wife wanted to start a family. He started his own business in residential remodeling and construction. His three children — Maria, Jim Bilotta, Jr. and myself — learned the key to his success: That every contract was done with a handshake, quality of work, competitive pricing, and customer satisfaction. His reputation grew immensely.
In 1985, Maria and Jeff Eakley — an apprentice under Jim Sr. who is still with the company today — realized that they could be more successful if they focused solely on kitchens and being the best at one thing. The kitchen business quickly became a success, and, in 1990, I joined. We closed the construction business and expanded the showrooms.
Tell us about the family connection.
RB: Besides Maria, Jim, Jr. and myself (pictured above from left to right), there is now a third generation joining in: Maria’s son George Distefano, Jr. is an architect, and my daughter Sarah Witkin opened Bilotta Architecture.
While the three siblings are hands-on with the daily operations and very much involved, we handle different aspects of the company. Our father set a high bar of performance, but we are passionate about the job we do for our clients.
Why is this the business your family is in?
RB: It basically fell into place because of our father’s inherent talent for carpentry, millwork, and other home design trades. And, as a close family, it only made sense to hone in on the design and build of the one place in the house where everyone gathers.
What is the best part of being involved in your family’s business?
RB: Making our father proud by continuing to build the family legacy. Next year will mark the 40th Anniversary of Bilotta Kitchen & Home, and we will be moving our flagship showroom to a larger space in Mamaroneck. Today, we have two showrooms in Westchester, one in Greenwich, and one in New York City’s A&D Building.
Lunch breaks: together or separately?
RB: We never stop! We are involved in the day-to-day, but we eat together when we can. Sometimes we’ll do important catch-up meetings over lunch.
Cherished family business milestone:
RB: We hit a milestone each time one of our employees reaches another decade with us; that really says something about the company. We have people who have been with us for 10, 20, 30 and even approaching 40 years. In fact, 75 percent of our staff has been with us for over 10 years.
Vacations: together or separately?
RB: When it involves the large, extended family, we are all together. That usually happens on the Cape. And when our kids were younger, we would vacation together with our parents at the Cape or in Florida where their parents had a house. Now that our kids are having kids, we travel less frequently with each other. However, holidays are still all together.
Ten years from now, I hope our family business will…
RB: Still be thriving with the next generation at the helm — both family members and long-time employees. We will remain cutting edge with how cabinets are designed and built and up-to-date on industry trends and changes. We will continue to be leaders in the industry with designers whose talent, passion, and innovation are reflected in the spaces they create.
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