Distributor:

The Carolinas, Georgia
WHITTEN MEARS
Ellis Meares and Son, Inc

DDI/Diversified Distributors LLC
7179 Bryhawke Cirlce
North Charleston, SC 29418
Office: (843) 760-0299
Cell: (910) 840-3257
Email: whittenmeares@ems-ddi.com
Email: genewallace@ems-ddi.com

essexgirl164 - I am in Atlanta as well. Will you let me know if you find any dealers?

ditto!

Thanks! that will be a nice trip, I love Charleston!

I was thinking that was just the name of the distributor and not the retailer. I will email them and see where the closest dealer is located.

I live roughly halfway between Charleston and Atlanta. I called that distributor a month or so ago, and if I recall correctly I don't think they have a showroom as such, but he was willing to unpack a stove so I could take a look at it. You'll wish to call him before making a trip--I may have misremembered those details.

I DID see a Capital range in person on my last trip to my home town of Baton Rouge (of all places!!). Goodwood Hardware had one on display. I was impressed with the fit & finish, such that I feel comfortable ordering one, even if it isn't the exact one I saw on display.

You'd think that there would be someplace in HotLanta that would have one. I was waiting for Home Depot Expo to start to carry them, but now the Expo centers are all defunct. Too bad. About the only places in Atlanta I could find easily are the locations of the three HD Expo design centers. Well, that and the Dekalb Farmer's market. (3000 E. Ponce de Leon, Decatur. No visit to Atlanta is complete without a stop there.)

I just got an email from the distributor. Apparently they just signed the deal with Capital. You are right arley, no showrooms. :( We go to Savannah a good bit to see family so maybe we can swing up to Charleston on one of these trips.

You would think almost anything would be here in such a huge metro area. There is one Bluestar dealer but their showroom is not completed after months and months of work. Very strange. No Bertazzonis in town either and I would love to see one. Lots of Wolf though.

Arley, my daughter and I discovered Dekalb Farmers Market about 6 months ago. We plan our shopping list for the week, spend so much less on beautiful, fresh produce, we think we have died and gone to heaven! It's so wonderful to buy fish that does not smell "fishy", wonderful mussels, clams,and crabslegs and the whole chickens are the tastiest I have ever had.

If I could only find a gas range worthy of such produce! Everything I have looked at locally just doesn't cut it. I have just started renovation of my kitchen, it's taken me 15 years to get this far!

I am planning a 36" gas range and after studying this forum, it seems to come down to either the Capital or Bluestar. Bluestar website lists Guy T. Gunter, 1610 Southland Circle N.W. Atlanta Ga 30318 as a retailer, so that is an easy visit.

I believe the ranges they use on "Chopped" are Capital and they look awesome. I like the curved oven door handle. But before spending a large amount of money on a range, I really need to see it, touch it and possibly see it in action. It's really hard to believe there is not a retailer closer to Atlanta! It's so frustrating to know what you want, have the money and not be able to check it out! If I have to settle for something less, that's exactly how I will feel.....!

It looks as if driving to a retailer may be out, might just have to fly somewhere!

Please keep posting Capital retailers, even if it's aways from the ATL.

FWIW, when I bought my 36" Bluestar, Guy Gunter said I could come in and look at some other brand because it would be close enough. As if. I ended up seeing one on a trip to MA and then ordering out of CA b/c the distributor's pricing out of Tampa was MSRP only.

And YDFM is a food lover's/cook's paradise. Unfortunately, it's just far enough away (not that far by ATL standards) that we don't go that much. If you haven't discovered it yet, the Patak smoked liverwurst is meaty heaven.

How frustrating! So can't even see a Bluestar, which at the moment is second choice!

thull, we have also been to Patak's store but their keilbasa sausages from YDFM are a BBQ staple!

I didn't mean to divert or hijack the thread, but I agree with you on the quality of the YDFM sausages. Landjaeger is great, too.

It's the only place I've found that has fresh (i.e., never frozen) rabbits and ducks.

essexgirl164 - I saw a 60'' at Guy Gunter back in May (think it was 60''). It was still crated in the warehouse but it was unpacked enough for me to get a peak. Donnie, the sales guy, was going to contact me when they actually had it up and running in the showroom. I am guessing they still don't have it set up which is kind of crazy. Donnie has been very nice though.

I think Gunter now has a bluestar on the floor - if I remember right a friend went over there to see one. I would call and check.

I forgot to ask what size you guys are looking for. The dealer in Charleston said he would get a Culinarian for me to see. I am probably the only one looking for a 30'' and I don't really care if I have to look at a different size. I was thinking he should order the rotisserie/self-clean version no matter what size just so people could get a peak at it???? Let me know if you guys have a preference and I will pass it on.

essexgirl 164..... I understand that Capital has just engaged a new distributor for your area, at this time Capital is very thin on the ground in your area from a sales perspective. If you are serious about flying to see the Culinarian you are more than welcome to fly to Boston, we can pick you up at the airport take you to the store, you can cook all day then we take you back to the airport for your flight home. The only Culinarian ranges available to see right now are in either MA or CA.

Thanks everyone. I was looking for a 36" with 6 burners but I think a look at any size would suffice. Charleston would be a car journey and Boston would be a flight, both are doable for an important purchase. How long before the distributor is up and running in my area, seems it is sorely needed!!

essexgirl164 - I contacted whitten using the email listed above. He is just getting up and running with Capital but he said that he would get in a Culinarian. I just want to see the thing in person and have no chance of getting to MA or CA. I don't want to waste his time though if I am just going to order from Trevor in the end. Contact him and tell him what you are interested in.

The distributor is actively up and running now, they have reps on the road going store to store in an attempt to have retailers show the ranges.

I would suspect the Culinarian could be a few months away from hitting the stores.

I guess a video will have to do for me then.

I'm another in Atlanta, Love the Farmer's Market--does anyone remember its old location just off Scott Boulevard and North Decatur--it is now a firewood shed (seriously!).

It is unfortunate, but Atlanta's appliance market kind of busted with the housing market.

Anyway, I am getting ready to start a renovation and looking for appliances--including the Capital Culinarian and the Capital Maestro oven. I doubt the Culinarian will be available locally until long after my work is done, but it would be nice to see "something" by Capital in our area. I did see the 60" Bluestar at Guy Gunter, but not installed. I also saw a BEAUTIFUL red Bertazzoni--it was a special order, so not installed, but it was the type of range that made you keep looking back at it. You don't need to cook on that range to be happy...

If you want to see a Bluestar or Bertazzoni live get in touch with John the owner at The Cook's Station in downtown Greenville, SC--it is about a two hour drive from north Atlanta. He did not have a live BS when I was there, but was in the process of having one installed. He has a number of other live appliances also. It might be worth the drive.

We've had ours for 5 years, and I'm a little surprised that Guy Gunter doesn't have a display up and running.

I'll reinforce that I have zero affiliation other than being a satisfied BS customer. If y'all are facing multi-hour drives to see one otherwise, I maybe could be persuaded to let you look at mine. Shoot me an e-mail.

Thanks everyone! After watching Trevor's videos I'm leaning towards accompanying my husband on his next business trip to Boston! What other company is so proud of their product?!

Thull--

Can you tell me if your Blue Star oven door gets really hot or really heats up the kitchen? I know you must have one of the older versions, but the various posts about the heat coming off the door has always made me uncomfortable. I'm not sure how much of this has been solved with the newer door design. Given that we do live with heat most of the year I'd prefer not to add anymore to my kitchen than I have to.

Thanks

Running the oven on any 36" range is going to heat up the kitchen. Maybe less so if you run the hood while the oven's hot. I'm not sure what you're asking.

I haven't really noticed that it heats up the cabinets on either side particularly, but they just have pots, pans, and cookie sheets in them. I get more worried about our built in convection microwave, which definitely gets the cabinet above it hot.

As for the door, yes it does get hot. I had an infrared camera a while back but didn't get any pictures of the oven while it was running. That said, it isn't hot enough to give you a contact burn. My understanding is that it can't get over 180F and get a UL listing (which the Bluestar has). That's hot enough that you can tell and pull away before it burns you, but it would if you stayed in contact with it for more than a couple of seconds.

Our daughter was around 14 months old when we finished remodeling and moved back in. She'd just started walking. We worked hard to keep her away from the oven when she was little, and we've graduated to just warning her. We've never had a problem.

Any updates on availability in the southeast for Capital since the last posts here in August? I'll be in Houston in 2 weeks, so I can see the ranges there (along with the BlueStar - my final choices), but I can't see paying shipping charges from Texas to south Ga if available closer.

We are not exactly next door but, in Flat Rock NC we have a Capital Culinarian, Bluestar, and Bert on display. Just south of Asheville. Not trying to push sales just offering a place to see them live, somewhat close. Just post back if you would like more info.

Charleston, SC has a capital dealer. Plugs Appliance Center in West Ashley.