What Is Millhurst Design Center?
How did Millhurst Design Center come to life? Millhurst Mills, Inc. is a family-owned and operated full-service home improvement center established in 1925 by Bernard Hochberg, situated lakeside on 15 acres in Manalapan, NJ. Originally purchased as a grist mill for wheat, grain, and flour, Millhurst Mills was the local social gathering place for farmers to have a drink, talk about pricing and activities as they weighed and sold their grain, or purchased animal feed. In the 1930s Millhurst Mills expanded into a substantial lumberyard, and by the early 1960s, it was an innovative full-blown “Home Improvement Center.” In 1973, Millhurst Mills became one of the first Ace Hardware dealers in the area. Hochberg’s three sons—Sam, Art, and Ben—ran the business during this time
Sam Hochberg’s son, Bernard ‘Nardie’ Hochberg took over operations in 1985 and developed the wholesale and import side of the company with a heavy concentration on salvage material and auctions. He also expanded the retail lumber operation to include Benjamin Moore paint, decking, moldings, vanities, and kitchen cabinets. Millhurst Mills has historically been known as one of NJ’s best-kept secrets by contractors and bargain hunters alike looking for stock or closeout cabinets, tile, and building materials. After hurricane Sandy in 2012, the stock kitchen business at Millhurst Mills exploded with contractor and homeowner emergency rebuilds. Nardie asked his daughter, Karen Hochberg Barnes, a custom cabinetry designer then living in Scarsdale, New York to help out.
As Millhurst Mills began to offer field-measuring appointments and design services, Barnes felt that they should be providing an alternative “shopping” experience – a comfortable and more upscale kitchen and bath showroom environment for the expanded clientele now requiring design services that complements the already existing building materials business. Millhurst Design Center is the realization of this concept. In 2017, Millhurst Design Center (MDC) opened as a dazzling interactive showroom connected to the retail operations at street level. It includes custom and semi-custom cabinetry made in the USA, higher-end tiles, and kitchen and bath accessories. Millhurst Trading Warehouse continues to sell stock cabinets to contractors and homeowners who do not need design services. Millhurst Mills has returned to its roots as a social gathering place for neighbors and customers by hosting seminars, demonstrations, networking events, BBQs, and contractor-appreciation days.
Our Goal at Millhurst Design Center
The goal of designers at MDC is to provide creative and functional personalized design services for kitchens, baths, and living spaces perfect for every lifestyle and price range. Catering to homeowners, contractors, interior designers, and architects, we specialize in full project coordination from conception to completion. We are also happy to assist with partial projects such as a kitchen backsplash, bath vanities, cabinet hardware refresh, custom bars, laundry rooms, and much more!
Showroom
MDC is a state-of-the-art, 5000 square foot retail showroom featuring a variety of kitchen and bath vignettes, cabinetry sample/conference room, plus a large tile display room. Schedule your complimentary consultation with one of our talented designers and let us make your renovation an effortless and satisfying experience.
Meet The Team
In 2001, Karen established and successfully ran her own custom cabinetry design business in Scarsdale, New York, for 15 years. She was consistently named top independent dealer for Bertch Custom Cabinetry. In 2015, Karen relocated back to New Jersey to support her family's growing cabinetry business at Millhurst Mills. In 2017, Millhurst Design Center opened to cater to the expanding clientele that required field-measuring and design services. In 2018, she was named President, becoming the 4th generation of ownership by the Hochberg family. .. Jenay grew up in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties. She received her Bachelors's Degree in Fine Arts / Interior Design from Kean University in 2012. She loves working with people and assisting in helping their dream space come to life. Her expertise is in space planning and creating a more functional and working layout. Bob has over four decades of tile and natural stone experience. His background includes tile manufacturing, wholesale, and contractor sales, as well as showroom design and management. At Millhurst Design Center, Bob has helped build a beautiful showroom full of unique tiles of every description.
Karen Hochberg Barnes
President & Design Director
Shreya Kirtani
Kitchen & Bath Designer
Jenay Mike
Kitchen & Bath Designer
Bob Engleke
Tile Specialist
Krystina grew up in Monmouth County and graduated from Kean University in 2011 receiving a Bachelors's Degree in Fine Arts / Interior Design. Krystina has a background in tiles, kitchen, and bath design. She loves using her design expertise to help clients design their dream spaces with tile that expresses their own unique style. Donna is a long-time resident of Manalapan and holds an Associate's Degree in Interior Design with over 20 years of experience. She is also an active member of the New Jersey chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. Her design expertise ranges from commercial to residential design and always strives to exceed her client's expectations. Andrea has over 18 years of experience in warehouse distribution. She is knowledgeable in kitchen, bath, tile, and design. Her experience in retail and management is a huge asset to our company. She looks forward to meeting you and assisting in your future home projects.
Krystina Farraye
Tile Designer
Donna Zeoli
Sales/Customer Service
Andrea D'Ambrisi
Order Processing
