Spotlight: Lori Shimabukuro

Lori Shimabukuro ACCOUNT MANAGER

PROSOURCE OF HONOLULU (HI)

How long have you worked for ProSource Wholesale?

I’ve been with ProSource for 5 years.

What’s your favorite part of being a team member at ProSource Wholesale?

It’s all about relationships – helping members and their clients, seeing their projects completed, and making them happy.

How do you interact with the kitchen and bath designer as a cohesive team for the trade pro and the client?

We have a close working relationship and learn from each other. It also helps that I have a degree in graphic design. They’re involved in all stages of the process. It’s a small island, so as a team our reputation is important here.

What trends do you see developing with regard to home remodeling?

With COVID-19, people are doing smaller projects since they’re staying home more and can’t tear the house up completely. For style, it’s the island look, with more natural colors … lighter maples and browns. Open concept is also big with beachy, open-air designs – large patio doors that let the indoors and outdoors merge into one large living space.

What trends are you seeing with regard to products?

People are buying a lot more LVT and LVP. White cabinets are also popular for their clean, timeless look.

What are a couple of your favorite flooring products?

Love the Pacifica line of LVP, which is exclusive to Hawaii, with its popular look of exotic woods. It’s been used in a lot of residential projects as well as in a resort on the Big Island.

How would you describe the difference between the service you offer at ProSource Wholesale versus other home remodeling stores?

Every member has a dedicated account manager that always works with them. Plus, our buying power lets us offer competitively priced products with better quality than the big box stores.

What’s one piece of advice you would advocate to homeowners before they begin a project?

Get some ideas of what they want, such as cabinet color, as a starting point.