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Business as Unusual – Allied Kitchen and Bath, Bill Feinberg, president

Business backstory: For the past 35 years, the Fort Lauderdale-based business (and showroom) has provided kitchen, bath and home remodeling services to its clients. Its team of experienced designers has access to top-of-the-line appliances, decorative hardware/plumbing, and tile/stone. (alliedkitchenandbath.com)

The impact: “Going through the recession during 2008 and 2009 was something that I never thought I’d have to go through again; we spent several years digging out of that mess and rebuilding and eventually becoming one of the premier remodeling companies in South Florida. Now, we find our [business] in new territory, trying to figure out the next move in order to make sure that we can survive. In [late March], we laid off about half of our 35 [in-house employees], reducing staff in the offices and showroom, while still keeping the other 30-plus people in the field working on current job sites. Most of the projects that we’re working on, or that we chose to stay working on, are in homes that are empty and unoccupied. We made our decisions for two reasons: First, to hold on to our savings and reserves that we put away, knowing that without showroom traffic, our retail sales [and new projects] would come to a halt. Second, we felt it necessary to follow [Center for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, and allow our people to socially distance themselves from the rest of the community, in an effort to safeguard our employees.”

In the interim: “We know that people are cocooning in their homes—and spending more time than they have in years looking at their old kitchens and bathrooms. For many, now could be the perfect time to start planning; they have time on their hands. So, we have set up processes to meet with clients virtually—through FaceTime and Zoom—and see exactly what’s in their home and talk to them about their plans. We’re also working on a virtual tour of our showroom. We’ve already begun interacting and designing with some clients, which will set us up for success the moment we can all get back to work.”

The future: “I think it’s going to take quite some time for people to get comfortable interacting with one another, in the way we were used to before COVID-19. I see us doing more virtual meetings and making more presentations over the internet.”

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Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.