The History of Mutschler Kitchens & The Blake Company
Mutschler Kitchens was founded as “Modern Kitchens” in 1954 by Peggy and Bob Mozena. They changed the name of the company to Mutschler Kitchens as part of their partnership with the Mutschler Brothers Company in Nappanee, Indiana. Although the Indiana company closed in 1989, the Mozena’s kept the name of the business. Bob (pictured waving at left) was the salesman, while Peggy ran the business side of the operation. Their son, John, joined the business in 1969.
Mutschler Kitchens has been the premier kitchen company in the Grosse Pointe area for decades. It is very common for people to highlight the fact that they have a Mutschler Kitchen when they put their home on the market.
Chris Blake founded The Blake Company in 1983 after earning a degree in accounting and gaining some experience at the accounting firm Deloitte. His first major project was Windwood Pointe Condominiums in St. Clair Shores. This was followed by the development of Dodge Place in the City of Grosse Pointe, where Chris built 18 homes on the site of the former Horace Dodge mansion. Next, he developed the Scherbrook subdivision on the Scherer estate in Grosse Pointe Farms and Harbour Place in St. Clair Shores, which includes 120 condos over 5 acres. Chris partnered with Pulte Homes to develop Shorepointe Village on the Detroit River in Detroit.
In 2001, Chris purchased Mutschler Kitchens and asked John Mozena to continue on as a designer for all kitchen and bathroom projects. In subsequent years, the synergy that occurred by combining the two organizations has allowed the Blake Company and Mutschler Kitchens to become the gold standard of residential design/build firms in the Grosse Pointe area.