Design Line’s founder, Matthew Egan, began as a cabinet apprentice in Ireland. Matt came to the states in 1963, became an American citizen in 1970, and started Design Line Kitchens in 1976. Working out of Spring Lake Heights, NJ, Design Line grew into its current 10,000 square foot showroom and factory in Sea Girt, NJ. Matt is still very active in the business today, although his son Stephen has taken over as the chief of operations.
From the young age of seven, Stephen Egan started hanging around the shop watching his father work. His father, Matt, worked long hours in those early days. As time went by, Steve started taking more of an interest in his father's work. Steve became driven to show his father what he could do, even when his father thought he was not yet ready.
One day, when Matt was not around, Steve belt sanded a complete set of doors that were in line to be laminated. Concerned for his son's safety, Matt didn't allow him to use the heavy sander at that time. Upon his return, Matt was proud of Steve's fine work and started to allow him to do much more in the shop than he had previously permitted. In his drive to show his father the quality of his workmanship, Steve hadn't yet realized he was not only working for his father but for a customer as well.
To this day Steve applies that same standard of craftsmanship onto every job he works on or oversees, all with the same keen intuition his father instilled upon him nearly 40 years ago.
Steve lives at the Jersey Shore with his wife and four children.
Matt Egan comes to the states.
Matt ventures out on his own forming Matt Egan's Kitchens.
Design Line Kitchens is formed.
Design Line had grown so much that Matt needed an entire shop, so he moved the business to the Jersey shore and operated out of a showroom on Brighton Ave. in Spring Lake Heights.
As word of mouth continued to spread, Design Line is relocated for the final time to its current 10,000 square foot facility on Route 35 in Sea Girt, NJ.