Featured Franchise: Kitchen Tune-Up South Shore, MA

Mike and Janice Dugan joined our franchise family in 1996! As long-time Tunies, we have an incredible amount of fun stories about this family, and many of them involve Mike and his practical jokes.  There’s the time he walked the red carpet at a formal National Reunion dinner in an inflatable ballerina costume . . . and also his memorable bright orange sneakers that typically accompany his jacket and tie.  All jokes aside, the Dugan family is passionate about their clients and making kitchens across the South Shore of Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island extraordinary.  View some of their recent projects on their website here.  Thanks, Mike for the interview!

What was your career before becoming a Tunie?
I was a furniture refinisher.

What is your favorite part of owning your own business?
I get to spend each day with my wife and son.

What comes to mind as your most memorable kitchen update? 
We have worked in many unique settings over the years, and have done more chest-puffing projects than I can remember. For example, restoring all the luxury boxes and clubhouse woodwork at Gillette Stadium. Two projects will always stand out for me:

The first was a woman who lived in a very nice modern home and was selling her house to move to a town with a slightly better school system. Her house was remarkable, but the current kitchen was not. We gave her an amazing contemporary kitchen and four days after completion, she called to tell us her NEW kitchen had sold the house. She called back again a day later to say the house was now off the market. She loved the kitchen so much, they decided to stay!

The other was an elderly couple in their eighties, and she wanted a new look in her kitchen. She did not know that her husband was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer because she had Alzheimer’s. He knew she would have to be relocated soon to a care facility, as she was stricken with the disease. Before she left he wanted to see to it that she had her new kitchen. She played the accordion and quite well, but she only played Lady of Spain. She played it constantly over the 3 days our team was there completing the work. She would say, “For my next number here is Lady of Spain.” He would stand up from his chair and say, “Oh, my favorite!” When she completed the tune, he would stand again and shout, “Bravo!” over and over and clap wildly. She would thank him and say, “For my next number, here is Lady of Spain.” Ever since that job several years ago, whenever I hear the term “true love,” I think of them.

Any advice for someone thinking about making the leap and buying their own franchise?
Do your research. Not all franchises are created equal.

When you’re not working, what is your favorite hobby or pastime? 
Guitar and spending time with my grandkids.

What’s something unique about your area
Well, it goes without saying, the sports teams in Boston are the best. The lobster and chowder are amazing. And the fall is on fire when the leaves turn.

We switch up our National Reunion location each year.  What has been your favorite city to visit, or most memorable Reunion so far?
New Orleans, San Antonio, Vegas, and Phoenix

Do you have a favorite cabinet door style?
Why the HaglundRidge, of course. 

Editor’s Note: This exclusive door style is a unique blend of a shaker & recessed panel. It’s available ONLY to Kitchen Tune-Up clients, and was designed by Mike Dugan!  He kindly named it after the founder of our franchise system, Dave Haglund.  The HaglundRidge!  It’s a durable & easy-care RTF door, and one of our best sellers.)

What was the biggest motivator to why you bought your own franchise?
I had 3 children to put through college. 

What have you found to be the biggest benefit to franchise ownership? 
More control over my destiny.