Meet the Family That’s Been Organizing Charlotte Homes for 15 Years

Laura VanSickle (front, right) co-owns Closets by Design with her husband, Eric. In addition to these two, CBD Charlotte also employs Laura’s sisters, Diana (front, left) and Christa, and her mother, Joyce.

This August marks 15 years of business for Laura and Eric VanSickle, owners of Charlotte-based Closets by Design. Since the VanSickles opened the home organization company in 2004, it has grown to more than 50 employees in a 36,000-square-foot facility off of Westinghouse Boulevard in North Charlotte (1108 Continental Blvd., Suite A). This is where all the custom closets, wine cellar racks, and pantry organizers are created before they’re installed in your home.

Though Closets by Design (CBD) services more than 50 franchise locations across the U.S., the local showroom is as homegrown as it gets. With more than 20 designers who work in and around the Charlotte area, CBD reaches up to Hickory and Statesville, out to Blowing Rock, and south to Chester, South Carolina. Laura and Eric immediately loved the Queen City 20 years ago when they decided to move here from Boston. And to this day, they strive to help the Charlotte community feel the love.

“We love the city of Charlotte, and it is our goal as a company to be more involved and supportive of efforts in and around the city as we grow,” Laura says. So far, CBD has hosted clothing drives for local charities and provided the closets for the Charlotte Ronald McDonald House. Additionally, CBD is a regular YMCA contributor, helping with the outreach programs in the community. Laura also joined the board of the Childress Klein YMCA in uptown this year.

It’s this family mentality—caring for those around us—that fuels CBD.

In fact, you’ll notice many people you meet at CBD are family. Eric and Laura aren’t the only two you’ll find with family ties—Laura’s sister, Christa, runs installations and customer service; another sister, Diana, is one of the top designers; her mother, Joyce, works part-time in the office, assisting with sales, inventory, and general support and morale. “She makes sure the candy dish stays full,” Laura says.

Of course, the VanSickles’ dog, Goose, is in the office every day, too. Laura says you’re welcome to bring your own pup if you stop by the showroom to see the product or meet with a designer (showroom hours are Mon. through Fri. from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sat. from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.). Goose is a service dog, so he is trained to be in public, but he will stay securely in Eric’s office if you don’t want to meet the office pet.

COURTESY

There’s also the “extended family” that keeps CBD’s mission and morals strong. Laura says some of the Charlotte-area designers have been with the company since opening, “so they are like extended family.” Plus, because the company specializes in custom-fitting closets and other organizational solutions to rooms, the process is a personal one that makes customers feel like part of the family, too.

“Customers come back again and again,” Laura says, “so we get to know them over the years, doing projects in their home and then their next home. We do their children’s closets. Then, when their children buy homes of their own, we do those closets too!”

The payoff, Laura says, is seeing how incredibly happy a customer is when they first walk into their finished closet, pantry, mudroom, or garage.

“I particularly love owning this business in Charlotte because Charlotte is a big small city. No matter where I go each day… Harris Teeter, the gym, school… I run into someone who says, ‘You did my closets and I love them.’ Bringing organization to people’s lives is incredibly rewarding,” Laura says.

Closets by Design services Charlotte, Concord, Gastonia, and all surrounding cities in the area, installing a variety of storage and organization solutions. From garages to pantries to closets, CBD can create a custom solution that fits your lifestyle. Learn more or schedule an in-home design consultation by calling 704-588-7272 or visiting the website.