It feels like it was always meant to be. On April 1, 1991, in a small business park in Hopkinton, Mass., Tom Clarke opened Clarke Distribution Company and the country’s first Sub-Zero appliance showroom. He had a kitchen designer create full-scale kitchens so homeowners could imagine how the built-in appliances would look in their homes. It was innovative, even radical, and Tom Clarke was dedicated to creating something totally unique. 

Before, if you were buying a Sub-Zero refrigerator, you picked it out of a catalogue, or you might see it leaning up against the back wall in a local appliance store. Not only did Clarke create the first place in New England where you could actually see Sub-Zero refrigerators in kitchen environments, it also offered test drives of high-end cooking appliances. For the first time, homeowners could experience the features and actually taste the results when the Clarke staff prepared cakes, breads, roasted chicken, and more. 

Some say Tom Clarke’s vision of the ultimate hands-on appliance showroom was destined. In 1955, his father Jim Clarke opened an appliance store — The Clarke Electric Company — in Stamford, Conn. Four years later, Jim Clarke met Westye Bakke, the founder of Sub-Zero, at a trade show in Chicago. Their conversations led to Jim Clarke becoming the country’s top Sub-Zero independent sales rep. 

Kitchen design knowledge and innovation were always part of the Clarke DNA, and four decades after Jim Clarke met the Sub-Zero founder, Tom Clarke opened a cabinet company in Massachusetts. His timing was perfect, as “custom kitchen” designs were becoming the cornerstone of New England’s burgeoning home boom in the 1990s. Design magazines were showing up on coffee tables, home shows were popping up in every major city, and real estate agents were touting “professional” kitchens as a key feature in homes. This perfectly coincided with Sub-Zero’s desire to have a dedicated distribution company in New England, and the next generation of Bakkes and Clarkes were once again in business together. 

Clarke’s three showrooms have inspired thousands

As Clarke celebrates its 35th Anniversary, more than 100,000 people have visited its showrooms in Boston Seaport, Milford, Mass., and South Norwalk, Conn. In 2000, Tom Clarke’s son, Sean Clarke, joined the business and worked in every department learning the intricacies of Clarke’s strategy, operations, and plans for the future. In 2015, Sean Clarke became the third-generation custodian of the Clarke kitchen legacy when he became president. Under his leadership, the company purchased a historic building in Boston Seaport and created 7 Tide, where Clarke and other luxury home design brands showcase their products and meet with designers and homeowners just steps away from the Boston Design Center. Sean Clarke’s vision and tenacity earned him a spot on the 2017 Kitchen & Bath Design News national list of “Top 50 Innovators.” Two years later, his father was inducted into the New England Design Hall of Fame.

“We want our showrooms to be portfolios for New England’s finest designers,” Sean Clarke explains. “Each kitchen vignette is designed by a local designer and includes Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances. Homeowners love to browse and get ideas. They ask us to connect them with an architect or designer whose work they discover at the showroom. We’re proud to be a trusted resource and encourage homeowners to return as many times as they need to during their design journey.”

Homeowners and designers rave about the Clarke experience

A cornerstone of Clarke’s success is that you don’t buy anything in these showrooms. They are designed to inspire and educate homeowners. Clarke’s showroom consultants are a wealth of knowledge and make the journey relaxing and fun. 

“We want homeowners to have a pressure-free visit. If you want to purchase anything you see, we refer you to a trusted dealer in your area,” Corporate Showroom Director Marco Barallon explains. “We have a network of excellent retail dealers, and your Clarke consultant will communicate with your dealer to make sure you get accurate pricing and delivery information.”

The Clarke experience earns hundreds of five-star reviews and enthusiastic accolades from homeowners, designers, dealers, and press. Bill Kneller, a recent visitor to the Milford Showroom, reported, “The showroom visit was fantastic. Being able to see all the Sub-Zero and Wolf models we had interest in with actual kitchen layouts made the decision process easier.”

Priscilla Pano shared her recent experience at Clarke in Boston Seaport. “Walking into Clarke was a wonderful, inspiring experience. Our showroom consultant demonstrated appliances I was considering and others that might achieve my objectives — some were even better than I had expected. All this with no pressure. I am looking forward to creating my new kitchen with their products and support.”

Jon Friedman was delighted by his time at Clarke’s South Norwalk showroom, saying, “Our showroom consultant was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and gave us a really great understanding of all the offerings at the showroom. She knew the ins and outs of every appliance and showed us some options that we didn’t even think of. She set us up with the onsite chef, Jonathan, for an awesome cooking demo and it was delicious!”

Beyond the award-winning showrooms, Clarke offers Customer Care, a dedicated Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove factory-certified service and repair company that repeatedly earns best-in-class reviews. They also produce “New England Living,” a lifestyle show airing on CBS Boston, which is accompanied by New England Living magazine distributed across the region. “We’ve never thought of Clarke as an appliance company,” Sean Clarke emphasizes. “We are dedicated to helping homeowners enjoy gracious living.”

What’s next for Clarke?

Forbes magazine has reported that “roughly only 20 percent of businesses make it to 35 years,” and Clarke is poised to blow past that milestone with more exciting projects on the horizon. They recently hired Chef Vanessa Ali as their culinary director. Her culinary knowledge and experience include positions as assistant professor of culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University and lead culinary instructor and presenter at UMass Taste of the World Chef Culinary Conference, along with over a decade of restaurant concept development and catering management. She collaborates with Clarke’s chefs on events and has created The Chef’s Table, a Clarke cooking demonstration curated for homeowners deciding which Wolf appliances best fit their lifestyle. If you speak with Sean Clarke, he will be quick to share that, “When you purchase Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove products in New England, you will have a Clarke chef as a resource for the life of your appliances.” 

For more information, visit clarkeliving.com/welcome.