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From humble beginnings only selling knives, pots and pans, Kesco Kitchen Supply has become one of the largest kitchen equipment and supply companies in the Brazos Valley servicing some of town's most popular spots such as Fuego Tortilla Grill, C&J Barbeque and Gate 12.
Kesco has been family owned and operated by the Krolczyk family since their opening in 1975 by Joe and Nancy Krolczyk. With the booming business, their son Kevin and his wife Abbie also jumped on to help the family business grow and have now made it their mission to supply the Brazos Valley with the highest quality restaurant equipment at the most competitive prices in the market while still holding onto the core family values and memories.
“My mother and father-in-law, Joe and Nancy Krolczyk, Aggies class of 1961, started selling knives, pots and pans and then it just grew and grew and grew,” Abbie says. “Buisness exploded and they called us while we were living in Houston and said why don’t you come help us for a little while — that was 30 years ago,we never left.”
From the back of the house to the front of the house, Kesco is able to help customers with anything and everything that they need for a custom project including large walk-in coolers, vent hoods, stainless fabrication and even fire suppression systems, along with custom project designs for sorority houses and churches in the area, as well as Texas A&M University break rooms and catering rooms, Abbie says. To truly represent their commitment to customer service, Kesco offers free professional consultations.
“When they opened Amico Nave, Casa Do Brasil and Casa Mangiare, they came to us,” Abbie says. “We offer everything it takes to outfit a restaurant, if they need a stainless steel table that’s twelve feet long, we will build it. We do the whole project from the silverware, to the plates and tables and chairs. We do the entire restaurant.”
The wide variety of services offered by Kesco has led to a plethora of committed customers, who continue to support this family owned business by coming to them with all of their kitchen supply needs.
“What people don’t realize whenever they come in here is how heavy duty everything is, and the variety,” Abbie says. People think of us for pots and pans or for china and glassware, but then they see the tool wall and wall of knives and they’re like, whoa!”
Kesco also offers maintenance on commerical kitchen appliances, Abbie says.
“We’ll go out and look at whatever it is,” Abbie says. “Then come back, order parts, then go back and fix it. We do warranty service, so if you buy something from us, we’ll do warranty service on it, or we’ll find who does the warranty work and get it done. Or, you can bring your stuff here and we’ll fix it."
Kesco customers don’t have to be an up and coming restaurant or a big business in town. A customer could be a mom of four with a home in the suburbs and a passion for cooking or a father who loves to cook out on the back porch on his grill. Kesco encourages everyone to stop in at their location on South Texas Avenue in Bryan and peruse the wide variety of kitchen appliances and cutlery. The quality is what keeps people coming back, says Abbie.
“It’s heavy duty,” Abbie says. “Our stuff is made like none other. It’s made to take abuse and it’s made to use every day. It’s really just about how heavy duty it is — it’s industrial strength.”
Abbie and her husband Kevin have been active in Brazos County for as long as they can remember. The sense of community and feeling of loyalty has transferred over into how they choose to run their business as well. With the support of the community, Kesco has been able to grow larger than the Krolczyk family ever imagined.
“By supporting Kesco, you’re supporting 13 families,” Abbie says. “It’s keeping the economy going. It’s keeping taxes here, we’re not sending our money to big corporations, it’s just us. Most all of the money that we make here is spent here. It’s also just community, and loyalty and how strong our community really is. We all support each other and I think that’s super important.”
Kesco Kitchen Supply is located at 1411 South Texas Avenue in Bryan, next to House of Tires, and is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though it services restaurants, the store is open for the public to shop as well to find wholesale prices on our high quality kitchen supplies. For more information, visit kescotexas.com or call (979) 779-6473.
