![]() Of course no business achieves double digit growth without first experiencing some growing pains. "We kept the name Big Chill, but you can see when I started I thought I'd only be doing refrigerators."Īs a private company, Big Chill doesn't release balance sheet info, however, "We've grown at a rate of over 20% per year," Chris Kawaja replied when asked about sales. That was the seminal event that suggested the company had evolved beyond a point that, at the beginning, Creamer wasn't sure would even be attainable. "When we jumped into the full kitchen, that was massive," said Creamer, referring to an important milestone in his company's history. pink lemonade and buttercup yellow, the shade that Scarlet Johanssen fancied. The range of colors increased too, with some of the most popular ripped from the pages of the Eisenhower era - beach blue, cherry red. Together, the company increased its product line to include stoves, dishwashers, as well as refrigerators of different sizes and it introduced another, more contemporary style. "I could tell Orion was a brilliant designer," which in turn, suggested the company could grow by introducing more products that would strike a similar chord with the public.Ĭonsidering Big Chill had already carved a niche for itself in the refrigerator market, it made sense to both Kawaja and Creamer to focus on other kitchen items as they began to expand. However there was another factor that ultimately sealed the deal. Scouring the landscape for opportunity, he liked the product and saw the potential. "I got involved with the company in 2008," Kawaja said. He's also an entrepreneur who specializes in new business. ![]() Enter Chris Kawaja, a serial investor who's currently the company's majority shareholder. Of course as the company grew, it needed funding. Now, it's 10 years later and we're busting at the seams." "We had one refrigerator model and a handful of people. "It was a huge space and I thought how will we ever fill it?" At the time, the company was taking up a relatively small percentage of building's square footage. The next milestone occurred a few years later as Orion moved his small company into their current headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. "That was a surreal experience," Orion said, "Bringing on people to work for me, and I was already in huge debt." Next, he hired a handful of people and never looked back. Orion heeded the advice and became the full-time president of Big Chill, a role he holds to this very day. Orion instinctively knew his refrigerator had to have a special something – a “je ne sais quois” - if he was going to break into an industry dominated by behemoths such as GE (NYSE:GE), Samsung, Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) and others. "It took me about 4 years to get the product off the ground," Orion admitted, with the first two years committed strictly to the product's design and color. Initially a collaboration between Orion and his aunt and uncle, who bankrolled the business, the company experienced what can best be described as a soft launch. Already fascinated with refrigerator doors, which he collected as works of art, he realized there’s was no reason a new refrigerator couldn’t look old. "They wanted the look of an old fridge but they didn't want a vintage fridge because they didn't want to have to defrost it."Ĭreamer had an epiphany. "My aunt and uncle were building a house in Santa Barbara," Creamer explained. ![]() "She put one of our fridges on the set of her TV show - and I think that set her apart - and it set us apart."Ĭreamer started Big Chill in 2001 after a series of unusual circumstances suggested there might be sizable market for retro appliances. "The most impactful one was Rachel Ray," Creamer added, referring to the 30 Minute Meals chef and television talk show host. He viewed it as a sign that his appliances, largely sold over the Internet to people selecting from photos, had earned a seal of approval. "When celebrities started buying our appliances, I felt really good," said Orion Creamer, the refrigerator's designer. The refrigerator is just one of many kitchen appliances now sold by a company based in Colorado called Big Chill. ![]() But this appliance isn't an antique, it's brand new and on the inside it's state of the art. It's mid-century design with chrome trim and iconic 1950's shape appears as if it once belonged to June Cleaver or Harriet Nelson. Her buttercup yellow refrigerator looks like something that she pinched from the set of a movie. Step inside and you'll notice her appliances immediately. ![]() She's glamorous, she's successful and she has a great kitchen. There's every reason to envy Hollywood movie star Scarlett Johansson. ![]()
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