It was Nov. 6, 2017, when Brando Salazar began working at LB Closets. The job would prove to be fortuitous.
Salazar didn’t intend to make the industry his career to begin with. He simply needed money and had been offered the job as a closet installer.
“I never expected how much I would enjoy working with my hands and tools, and how naturally everything came to me,” he says. “The more I learned, the more I wanted to grow and be better at my job.”
Soon Salazar was promoted to the role of lead installer, and later, into design and sales. While sales weren’t normally something he was comfortable with or had excelled at prior, with this company, he did well.
“I think maybe it was because I was passionate about what I was selling and our services, and people could see that,” he says. “I’ve never made an effort to upsell, play the sales game, [use] rebuttals, and fight to overcome objections. Some people in the industry might disagree with my approach but I don’t care. I see everyone as human beings, not just another sale. I want you to feel good about the product and trust that we take pride in our work.”
LB Closets was a company that Salazar became passionate about. And in 2023, he bought the company he’d been part of for so long.
LB Closets, which had been founded in 1996 by Lance Bevans and originally known as L & B Closets, offers custom closets and organization systems and shelving for master closets, pantries, office spaces, laundry rooms, entertainment centers, garages, and more. It also offers custom cabinetry and Murphy beds.
“We help maximize your space, whether it’s for organizational/storage purposes or aesthetics—we can do both,” Salazar says.
The most popular areas LB Closets receives requests for are closets and garages. And while they also receive requests for kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, those are actually two options not available through the company.
Clients are the top priority at LB Closets, and every project begins with an in-home consultation to discuss vision and design elements. From there, a 3D design is created. Once the design and budget are approved, the fun of the creation and installation—which Salazar aims to make stress-free—begins.
“Our installers treat every home with the utmost care and meticulously clean up during and at the end of every project,” he says.
For Salazar, being in the cabinet and organization industry is something he truly enjoys.
“I like seeing our customers get excited and organized,” he says. “A lot of people express themselves through their home—some of my customers are shoe collectors or have a passion for clothes and enjoy displaying them.”
His personal favorite request? Kitchen pantries, since he and his wife both love to cook.
Being in the business for so many years has provided Salazar with extensive insight into what makes a space most functional. When asked if he has any tips or advice, he shares, “Have a variety of shelf widths. If you have wide shelves, you will find something to fill it with—it will just become a catch-all. If you have smaller to mid-length shelves, you are forced to get organized. Also, flooring first, closet second. And last, donate your old clothes to a shelter instead of Goodwill.”
For Salazar, the quality of his product is also extremely important and so the cabinetry is guaranteed for life.
“My goal is to be known as the custom closet company Arizona homeowners can count on for exceptional customer service, gorgeous and effective designs, and precise workmanship,” he says. “I’ve greatly enjoyed getting to use my creativity and skills in a way that was truly life-changing for the homeowners I worked with each day.”
“I’ve greatly enjoyed getting to use my creativity and skills."
“We help maximize your space."