Frank Coccimiglio began his fulfilling career in woodworking and cabinetry in 1960, in Italy.
After moving to Canada in 1965, Coccimiglio worked for 10 years with Sault Ste Marie business, Crema Crafts, before starting his own company.
On February 15, 1975, Coccimiglio opened F.C Woodworking and made a name for himself building kitchen cabinetry, and eventually custom homes under the name Frank Coccimiglio Construction.
In 1980, the company changed names again and became the one most commonly recognized today— Cofra Furniture & Cabinets.
This year, Cofra celebrates 50 years in business. Located at 112 Industrial Court A, Cofra boasts the largest cabinet shop in the Sault, sitting at 10 thousand square feet, with six full-time employees.
Alongside cabinets and millwork, Cofra can also help clients with bathroom renovations and offers repair and finishing services— not to mention full homes.
Coccimiglio said the company has built many custom homes over the years, saying, “Each [home is] built with a distinctive mark of quality as a result of our specialities in cabinet making and finish carpentry.”
One of the biggest things Coccimiglio noticed throughout his career is the cyclical nature of design.
“There used to be a lot of wood, and then people went into painting and putting that white MDF all over,” he said. “They would cover up the good hardwood. But wood is coming back again.”
With over seven thousand clients and almost 20 thousand hand-made elements, Coccimiglio and the team at Cofra prides themselves on keeping customers happy through their hard work and dedication to their craft.
“Thank you to our staff and loyal customers who have made Cofra Furniture and allowed us to remain in business for 50 years,” Coccimiglio said.
If you’re interested in learning more about Cofra Furniture & Design, you can visit their website here.