By Elizabeth A. Katz / Special to the Detroit News
TROY -- Steve Bester isn't someone who's daunted by a little bit of clutter, cobwebs and
the creepy-crawly things lurking in the garage. In fact, getting everything organized is his job.
"I'm not afraid of the garage," he said. "Usually the garage is the worst looking room in the
house. I try to put things into their own space."
A former sales and marketing executive
with Kmart Corp. and Casio Inc., Bester decided that after being displaced three times in seven
years through downsizing or buyouts, it was time he started his own business.
"I've always
been really handy with finishing basements," said Bester, 41.
Capitalizing on that knack,
Bester started Educated Garage Systems in June.
While exploring some of the organizational
products for garages, Bester realized that there was a market for the service.
He said that
for many people, the garage is the home's front door and is often used much more than other rooms.
Bester said he hasn't been in his dining room for nearly a year, "but I've been in my
garage four times today."
Bester works as a subcontractor for several product lines,
including the Whirlpool Gladiator series, which offers storage units on casters. He can install
white-slatted wall cladding so that items can be hung with hooks.
And Bester can cover a
traditional concrete floor in an epoxy covering that repels dirt and vehicle fluids.
"The
biggest thing is you can clean it," he said. "Nothing penetrates the floor."
Cleanup of the
slatted wall system is easy, too, he said, with just a hosing of water to rinse away the cobwebs
and grime.
Other items Bester can install include finished cabinets, an overhead storage
system, heating and cooling and even a countertop and sink.
"It's just an expansion of
living space," he said.
Before installation, Bester does an inventory of the garage's
contents and measures the garage. He plugs the information into a computer and can show clients
organizational strategies.
Bester and his crew can do the work in two to five days. Costs
can range from under $2,500 to as much as someone is willing to spend.
Stephanie Stall, a
Birmingham resident, recently had Bester upgrade the family's two-car detached garage. The
improvements included the white-slatted wall system and a few of the Gladiator storage products.
"It was a place that needed to be efficient," she said. "The garage looks fabulous. It's
not scary anymore. (The garage) will grow with us."
Elizabeth A. Katz is a Metro Detroit free-lance writer.
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