Case by Case Cabinets in Norwood, Mass., is a turnkey custom cabinetry business serving residential clients in the greater Boston market. The company is owned and operated by Rani and Natanella Zabari, who immigrated to the United States from Israel where Rani ran a woodworking shop. After a challenging start, they're looking at a promising future.
“I think this is a manufacturing field with lots of potential. The demand during Covid was unbelievable because people were home and weren’t spending their money, so that’s why I really feel that this is a very steady, very stable field to be in,” says Rani.
“That’s also the reason I chose cabinetry. There’s always a need. I worked in the furniture design industry in Israel when I graduated from school there. When people save money for their dream home, a big chunk of it will go towards the cabinetry. They have a serious budget for their cabinetry and storage, and especially in this area."
Starting out
After graduating from design school, Rani started a woodworking business called the Wood Log in 2011. But the married couple saw more opportunity in the U.S. and picked Boston because Natanella had family in the area. Upon arriving, she followed her career path as a physical trainer, while Rani searched for work in his field.
“In 2019, I started working at a kitchen production plant building cabinets at Cory Manufacturing in West Bridgewater. They don’t exist anymore, but they had about 10 employees and did all custom kitchens,” says Rani. “I spent about a year there. I wanted to learn how to translate professional terms that I knew from Israel in Hebrew, like dado, rabbit, things like that, and get used to the imperial measuring system. Then I decided to go self-employed.
“I had no shop. I had nothing but a sedan vehicle. So, I started to do restoration projects for houses, on site, and from there I took on bigger projects with the contractors I knew. I used to order pre-cut plywood from a mill in Medfield, Mass. I gave them cut lists and applied edge banding to cabinets, purchased hardware off Amazon, things like that, and started building small kitchens.”
After sharing shop space with another woodworker, Rani started looking for a space of his own. He searched Craigslist and Facebook and sent out a flurry of e-mails, all without much luck. He found a studio space in a Norwood mill, but the building was shut down due to code violations. He ended up renting a storage facility to keep equipment and materials.
During the fall of 2020, Rani was contacted by the owner of Woodstack Carpentry in Norwood.
“That was one of the shops I reached out to for space. He wanted to sell his shop and retire. I came here and met him. We clicked. He saw that I wanted to succeed and had a lot of ambition.”
Rani couldn't meet the asking price, but the owner invited him to use his shop while he worked on some final jobs. The two discussed ways to make the purchase work, which led to obtaining a loan from the Small Business Administration.
“The SBA based the loan on the fact that he had a good business for over 30 years,” says Rani. "In 2021, we started to run the business as Case by Case Cabinets," with the new name reflecting a more modern approach and focus on the customer experience.
“The former owner was more of a traditional one-man shop. I’m also still a one-man shop, but I always tell my clients that I’m not a romantic woodworker. I don’t have a vision of Geppetto working with wood. My vision is more of a technological aspect, and I like to bring in ideas of interior design. I just think that that’s where this field is going.”
Rani says his main goal is to offer a quality product and positive customer experience.
"I look at those as a package because when people want to remodel their house, they can easily have a bad experience," says Rani.
The couple aims to get more high-end projects in its residential market. About 85 percent of jobs are sourced through their website, but referrals are picking up. Their strongest markets are Brookline, Newton, and Wellesley.
"I do work with some contractors, but I’m still struggling with finding the right contractors. I started to work more with interior designers and architects, who are also a challenge to work with sometimes but at least they’re organized and at least they send clients. I’m sure one day I’ll work with a high-end contractor and be happy.”
They have remodeled a few retail outlets and restaurants, but that work is few and far few between.
“At this point, I’m okay with just residential. But I’ve always liked the idea of more restaurants and stores because you can get more creative with the designs. At this point, kitchens are our main thing.”
Future plans
Rani works in the shop, meets with clients, and does the finishing and installs. Natanella helps in the shop, does all of the office work, and maintains the company’s website.
Most of their cabinetry is full overlay. “It’s just our design preference: contemporary with a traditional hint,” says Rani. "Also, in Israel, that’s the market, influenced by a more European market with cleaner lines and all.”
Rani hopes to hire a full-time employee in the next year and have three to five employees within the next five years.
“My plan is to have a well-established workflow,” he says. “I’m not concerned with any downshift in the economy. Our clients always have the money to spend. I realized after Covid, there is competition, but there’s enough work for everyone. There's a demand for more cabinetmakers. And in my case, I don’t materialize the product and want to give that good experience, which helps us stand out.”
The couple has a home in nearby Stoughton and are busy outside of work raising three young children. They are grateful for the opportunity to buy Woodstack.
“Before buying the business, this process was like climbing a mountain and then finding another ridge of mountains. But now, I’m starting to notice that we’re gradually getting to the top. Our hearts are in it, and we will be fine, but it will take time.”
Learn more at casebycasecabinets.com.