Mark Klimkowski graduated with a master's degree in architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2009 and immediately went into one of the worst job markets for new graduates in generations. So instead of waiting or someone to give him a job, he created his own with
Virtuoso Design + Build.
The downtown Detroit-based venture specializes in everything from interior design to construction build outs. Choosing the more active end of the built environment work was an easy choice for Klimkowski.
"I didn't want to sit at a desk all day," Klimkowski says. "I wanted to get my hands dirty."
Today Virtuoso Design + Build is keeping Klimkowski and several others busy. The company is an active participant in the building boom in downtown Detroit, handling design and build out work for
Bedrock Real Estate Services,
Hello Innovation and Crema, a new bakery set to open in Greektown.
"We have grown a lot in the last year," Klimkowski says. "I have four full-time employees now."
To accomodate its growth, the company is looking to find its own home that comes complete with a wood shop and office space. Klimkowski hopes to use it not only as a base for Virtuoso's project work, but also as a place to launch its own furniture line.
"We want to be in our own place with design and building space," Klimkowski says.
Source: Mark Klimkowski, owner of Virtuoso Design + Build
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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