History

Simpson Cabinetry was founded in 2002 by master cabinetmaker, Bruce Simpson. A true Vermonter, born and raised on a dairy farm in Sutton, Vermont, in the heart of the Northeast Kingdom, Bruce first learned the trade of cabinetry from his grandfather, who he worked with on the family farm. After graduating from the Lyndon Institute in 1975, Bruce ran his own farm in Sutton for many years. His first “official” position as a cabinet maker was with David Patoine at Calendar Brook Cabinetry, where he re-established his passion for making custom cabinetry. In 1999, Bruce went to work for Tom Moore Builders as a cabinetmaker and, in 2002 left Tom Moore’s shop to start his own, and Simpson Cabinetry was born. Within a year, Bruce had a small crew and a thriving business of loyal customers. Soon the business was outgrowing its small space in Jonesville and moved to a 5,000 sf commercial space on Shelburne Road in South Burlington. The business continued to grow for the next nine years, adding more employees and customers, while seeing many customers return for additional cabinetry or new homes’ worth of kitchens, baths, and built-ins.

Tragically, Bruce Simpson was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in the Spring of 2011. With four grown children in careers of their own, he began looking for a qualified buyer who would continue the tradition of high quality, custom cabinetry for years to come. He found that in Betsy & Andy Cabrera of Richmond, Vermont. Betsy & Andy purchased the business from Bruce at the end of 2011, taking over on January 1, 2012. Fortunately Bruce lived long enough to see the company move forward under the new owners, keeping all his valued employees and continuing the tradition of excellence he had started ten years before. Sadly, Bruce’s cancer took his life in May of 2012. His legacy and name continues on through Simpson Cabinetry, which continues to grow and thrive under its new owners.

In Simpson’s first years under new ownership, many things remained the same: the high quality cabinetry, use of the finest materials, and the entire seasoned crew of master craftsmen. And, as with all changes, many things also changed: a second CAD designer was brought into the office, two additional carpenters were brought into the crew for both cabinetry making and installations, and the company invested in a new design software system, allowing them to create more accurate and customized drawings for clients.

In late 2015 Andy & Betsy purchased land and built a new 8,300 sf shop and showroom for the business in Essex, VT.  The new facility will take Simpson Cabinetry through its next phase with a larger expanded showroom, a state of the art sanding and finishing space, expanded shop and assembly areas, and plenty of room to grow.

The Cabreras have chosen to proudly keep the Simpson name and will continue to do so, as it is not only a brand of cabinetry that speaks for itself, but it is a testament to Bruce Simpson and his legacy.