Founding of the Company

The Hampshire Co. was founded in 1952 by Don Hampshire as a construction company. For twenty years The Hampshire Co. built and remodeled several hundred homes and commercial buildings in the Piqua, Ohio area. Unable to find a cabinet manufacturer to meet quality standards, The Hampshire Co. began producing cabinetry. Word spread among local builders of the high quality and soon The Hampshire Co. turned away from construction to focus primarily on cabinetry.

Focus on Cabinetry

In 1970 Don started the present cabinet manufacturing operation along with his son, Tom, the current owner of the company. They began in a 2,400 square foot building west of Piqua with three part-time employees and one full-time salesman calling on builders in the Dayton, Ohio area. By May of 1971 the operation had outgrown the building and was moved to a new 10,000 square foot location. The company survived two fires at this location before moving to its present day facility.

Moving Towards Custom

In 1977 The Hampshire Co. acquired a 25,000 square foot building at its present location and in March of that year moved its operations to that location. At around that same time, through a considerable investment in equipment, Hampshire shifted its concentration from high pressure laminated cabinetry to solid wood.

A Shift in Philosophy

In the early 1980's an economic recession required that the company shift its emphasis and expand its offerings. At that time, the company discontinued selling direct and began marketing its products through kitchen dealers, interior designers, architects, home centers, etc. Also at that time the company began shifting even more towards custom cabinetry, offering a wider variety of wood species, finishes and styles.

Fast Paced Growth

Ever expanding, in 1996 the company outgrew its facility and added a 12,000 square foot addition. The addition included office space as well as more production area. The main purpose of the addition was to make the company more efficient by spreading out the operations. With increasing demand for special finishes, the company needed more space for its finish department to effectively handle the workflow.

A European Feel

In 2007 The Hampshire Co. once again expanded its offerings to include frameless cabinetry. Until 2007 the company focused solely on the traditional face-frame construction. Seeing an increased demand for a more modern appearance, the company introduced frameless to its line. The cabinetry features the same finish and quality construction that can be found on its face-frame counterpart in a modern, full-access box.

Looking Towards Semi-Custom

In early 2011, amidst another economic downturn, The Hampshire Co. unveiled Stonebridge Cabinetry. Stonebridge features the same great finish and same experienced craftsmen manufacturing the product at a more economical price. Stonebridge features eight wood species and a wide range of standard colors and door styles to choose from. While it's considered semi-custom by Hampshire, it is as custom as many other manufacturers' custom lines.

Modernization

In 2014 The Hampshire Co. will be unveiling a state-of-the-art order entry program. This program will allow dealers to price the product more efficiently and to submit orders with ease. It will also feature many manufacturing components which will increase efficiency and productivity. Also in 2014 Hampshire rebranded themselves with a new, modernized logo.