There’s a certain kind of person who shows up at 16 and never really leaves; not because they had nowhere else to go, but because they found something worth staying for. Ben DeOms is that person, and Mountaineer Kitchens & Baths is that place.
What began as a summer job during high school quietly became something much larger: a career, a calling, and eventually, ownership of one of the region’s most respected custom cabinetry and kitchen design companies. Ben’s story isn’t a corporate ascent or an overnight success. It’s the story of a young man who fell in love with the craft.
Starting at the Bottom, Learning Everything
Ben was still in high school when he first walked through the doors at MKB — working summers, evenings, and weekends while his classmates were clocking out. Most teenagers would have moved on. Ben moved up.
“I started here when I was 16 working summers, evenings and weekends during high school,” he recalls, “and then it just kind of grew from there. I learned a lot and eventually took over the business.”
That trajectory didn’t happen by accident. It happened because Ben paid attention. He absorbed the standards that had been set long before him, watched skilled craftsmen work, and internalized what it means to do a job right.
A Legacy Built on Quality and American-Made Materials
MKB has been serving the community for over 31 years. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by cutting corners. Every project the team takes on is built with American-made materials and the kind of hands-on craftsmanship that’s increasingly rare in a world of flat-pack furniture and factory shortcuts.
The emphasis on quality isn’t just marketing language at MKB; it’s the foundation the company was built on, and it’s something Ben takes seriously as its new steward.
“Something that the previous owners of Mountaineer Kitchens and Baths did that I want to continue to emphasize throughout every job that we do is just the quality of work and the integrity of work that we do,” Ben says. “We’ve been around for over 31 years now and we continue to serve the community each and every day by the quality of work that we put out.”
That commitment runs through every cabinet door, every countertop, every custom detail, all of which are proudly sourced and crafted in America, installed by a team that takes pride in the result.
What Gets Him Out of Bed
Ask Ben what keeps him motivated, and he’ll give you two answers: the people he works alongside, and the look on a client’s face when they see their finished space for the first time.
“The part of the job that still gets me up in the morning is definitely the people I work with,” he says. “I really enjoy working with the people I do, and I’ve worked around most of them for five, ten, or even more years.”
That kind of team continuity is rare and it shows in the work. When craftsmen have been working together for a decade, they develop a shared language, a shared standard. There’s no need to explain what “good enough” isn’t.
And then there’s the client side:
“I also really enjoy seeing the transformation and the joy it brings to our clients and customers when they see the start-to-finish process — and that they really get to enjoy the finished space in their homes.”
That transformation, from empty walls and outdated cabinetry to a magazine-worthy kitchen, is the product MKB actually sells. Everything else is just the means to get there.
The Next Chapter: Showpieces and Expansion
Ben isn’t content to simply maintain what was built before him. With ownership has come vision and he’s thinking big.
“I think I’m most excited about the next chapter for Mountaineer Kitchens and Baths is the growth and the higher-end projects that we’re beginning to do more and more of — that are more showpiece quality and something you kind of see in a magazine,” he says. “That definitely excites me.”
The company recently opened a new showroom, giving clients a tangible look at what’s possible, highlighting spaces that reflect the full range of MKB’s craftsmanship. And Ben has his sights set further still: “moving to newer locations, our new showroom now, and expanding from there to eventually — hopefully — multiple locations.”
What Kept Him
It would be easy to assume that a young person stays at a company because it’s familiar, or comfortable, or simply the path of least resistance. But Ben’s loyalty to MKB was never passive.
“I think the thing that kept me a Mountaineer for as long as I’ve been here — and then turned into ownership eventually — was just the quality of work and what we do for people in their homes and serving the community.”
That’s the heart of it. A kid who showed up at 16 and found something that mattered — work done right, with materials built to last, by a team that genuinely cares. He grew into the role because the role was worth growing into.
Now, as owner, Ben DeOms carries that same standard forward.
One American-made cabinet, one transformed home, one proud client at a time.
📍 Visit our showroom in Martinsburg for inspiration
📞 Call us at 304-267-6262 to schedule a consultation
💻 Learn more at www.mountaineerkitchensandbaths.com