When Kim Calavas started ABW Appliances’ Builder Development Group (BDG) in 2017, the appliance dealer was doing a solid trade and retail business around the greater Washington D.C. area. Today, thanks in part to Calavas’s leadership and strong ties to the builder community, the company’s revenue has more than doubled.
As Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and the Baltimore Metro Area see an influx of high-net-worth individuals, builders are increasingly leaning on ABW’s BDG for expertise, logistical support, and access to a wide portfolio of premium appliance brands—including those from BSH, such as Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau. We spoke with Calavas about the evolution of the BDG and how her division is positioned to support builders during this dynamic phase of D.C. development.
A Passion for Appliances
Calavas developed a knack for appliance sales early in her career, but it wasn’t until she began working with builders that she really found her passion for the sector.
“I was building this relationship with the first builder, and I realized that when he said that he wanted ‘a hood,’ I knew which hood he wanted,” she recalls. “I liked talking about appliances, and I was also getting paid for it. It was awesome.”
She pitched a dedicated builder group at a number of companies before finding ABW, where she finally found a receptive audience.
“Probably the hardest part for anybody to understand was that salespeople could function beautifully without being in a showroom,” she says. “The right salespeople didn’t need to be tied to a specific schedule.”
Calavas began building the BDG at ABW in 2017, rapidly gathering a team of professionals with a combined 85 years of experience in the industry. Under her leadership, appliances sales at ABW started to grow steadily, though not exponentially.
Riding the Global Shockwave
Then supply chains ground to a halt in early 2020. Like many in the construction industry, the confusion and delays caused by the pandemic were a major opportunity for ABW to set itself apart from the competition.
“The minute we realized what was going on, we bought everything we could,” she says. “Our purchaser’s job was to get up early and go late, to find whatever was out there in the world and buy it.”
Calavas describes stacking appliances “floor to ceiling” in all of ABW’s offices, turning their headquarters into a “maze” of boxes. It was a big swing in a moment of crisis, but it ended up being the distinguishing factor.
“I realized that, how we react to this and how we take care of our clients is going to determine what happens when this is over,” she says. “Sometimes we put in loaner appliances, and sometimes we had to do substitutes, but we didn’t miss a closing. We’re the only dealer that I know was like that.”
This foresight and dedication paid off. By 2022, the BDG had helped to more than double ABW’s revenue from only six years previous, bringing on new clients and putting product into projects around the greater Washington D.C. Metro area.
Supporting Builders Across Every Project Tier
ABW has established itself as a go-to appliance supplier for builders across the region. The company’s strong relationships with top manufacturers allow them to deliver solutions for everything from large-scale multi-family projects to custom penthouses.
Among the many brands ABW works with, the BSH portfolio—including Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau—continues to be a popular choice among builders due to its broad appeal and well-aligned product lineup. Builders appreciate the ability to meet a range of client needs while maintaining design cohesion and reliable availability.
“You can do your standard houses and your penthouses all under the same umbrella,” Calavas explains. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a $1,000 Bosch dishwasher or a $5,000 Gaggenau cooktop—they get the same amount of support from BSH.”
Calavas notes that these brands have helped ABW support projects for area developers like Craftmark Homes and EYA, among others.
Familiarity with high-end brands is becoming increasingly important in the D.C. Metro area market, which is experiencing an influx of ultra-high-net-worth individuals who expect an unparalleled level of customization and service.
“In our little space, the billionaires have arrived,” says Calavas. “They’re the Gaggenau client, and they want to pick out each thing individually.”
A Structure That Works for Builders
ABW’s BDG is perfectly suited to provide this high level of service thanks in part to its unique organizational structure, which provides builders with a single point of contact in the person of project managers. These PMs function as extensions of each client’s business as well as liaisons with ABW’s departments, ensuring that no balls are dropped at any point along the process from initial quotes to service calls.
“Project managers keep continuity between all the different departments here without having to include every manager along the way,” explains Calavas. “And they do a weekly meeting with the client to go over everything and get to know them. We’re all on a first name basis.”
This personal, highly coordinated approach has been critical to ABW’s success and builder satisfaction. Whether working with BSH appliances or other leading brands in ABW’s portfolio, the goal is the same: make sure the client feels supported every step of the way.
As the D.C. Metro market continues to evolve, ABW and its Builder Development Group are ready to help builders deliver excellence—on time and on budget– without the usual headaches. To learn more about ABW, visit their website.