2001, The Beginning
It has been 20 years since Studio Europa, Inc. was founded by Eva Clemens and Markus Zaugg, and their enthusiasm hasn’t wavered since.
Eva and Markus attended the same woodworking school at the same time in Switzerland but didn’t actually meet until they landed in beautiful San Diego. Working on a mutual project where Eva had built several enormous bookshelves and sliding doors, she realized there was no way to deliver or install them herself, so she asked Markus for help.
They quickly saw each other’s talents and started talking about combining forces. They were a perfect combination of talents: Eva with a BA in Interior Design, Markus with a general contractors license and cabinetry installation business, both were skilled Swiss cabinetmakers, and they spoke the same language. That meant quality, responsibility, honesty, reliability, and being on-time like a Swiss watch. Clients and designers with woodworking projects quickly turned to their services, and soon they were able to buy a building and set up shop in Lemon Grove.
They chose the company name purposefully; ‘Studio’ to convey craftsmanship and a personal touch, and ‘Europa’ to honor their Swiss heritage. You can take the woodworker out of Switzerland, but you can’t take the Swiss out of a woodworker!
2011
In 2011 Studio Europa pivoted their business model away from custom woodworking, choosing instead to represent Germany’s premier cabinet manufacturer, LEICHT. They were awarded exclusive dealership rights in San Diego and opened their 1st LEICHT showroom, a modest 450 sq. ft. space, which quickly became one of the top selling LEICHT showrooms in the world.
2018
Over the years they added employees; first, exchange-workers from Switzerland who worked as cabinetmakers in the US for 18 months under a cultural exchange program. As the company grew and took more general contracting jobs, they added a bookkeeper and project coordinator. Today they employ a staff of seven and the business is thriving.
In 2018, Eva and Markus opened their second LEICHT showroom located at 2064 Kettner Blvd, in the heart of San Diego’s vibrant Little Italy District. It features the latest kitchen and home concepts from LEICHT along with premium appliances from Miele, Gaggenau, Bosch, Thermador.
Today
Studio Europa Inc. celebrates 20 years in business and 10 years as San Diego’s exclusive LEICHT European cabinet dealer.
Markus remarks: “It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since we founded Studio Europa, Inc. This is an incredible achievement for any company. We owe our success to the talent and dedication of our team members, common values of quality, responsibility, honesty, reliability, and being on-time like a Swiss watch.”
Eva adds, “We love what we do and we invite homeowners, developers and designers to come by and be inspired by our extensive kitchen collection and full range of supporting services.”
About Our Company
Studio Europa Inc. is San Diego’s exclusive LEICHT dealer. We are a full-service firm ready to handle every stage of renovation- from planning and design to remodel and installation. Our design professionals work with client’s budgets and preferences and have served homeowners, designers, architects, and developers throughout the San Diego area since 2001.
LEICHT was founded in 1928 in the southern region of Germany and has grown into an enterprise now selling in over 55 countries around the globe, with more than 50 showrooms in the U.S. alone. The company is headquartered in Waldstetten, Germany and manufactures there entirely. The LEICHT brand has inspired confidence and certainty for over 90 years, winning some of the most coveted awards in European design for their innovative product design and functional solutions.