Commerce couple grows family biz, California Closets

Sheilah and Ray Markham have been married for 30 years and been in business together for 25 years, raising three kids in Metro Detroit in the process.

In that time, the Markham's have built up their business, California Closets to the point where, as Sheilah puts it, "business is really our family."

"Our business is our baby," Sheilah says. "We don't separate. We talk about it 24/7."

That baby has grown. The company now has showrooms in Birmingham and Commerce Township, where it also has it manufacturing facility. The firm employs 25 people after hiring five this year and up from just 10 at the height of the last recession.

California Closets creates closet systems and shelving, utilizing contemporary design and an ergonomic use of space. The Markhams are looking at upping the business' revenue to $3 million over the next year and penetrating the Ann Arbor area.

Source: Sheilah Markham, co-owner of California Closets in Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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