About Us | Meet the Team Behind KineRack: Crafting Innovation and Inspiration

About Us | KineRack
Urbana, Illinois

Made by Hand.
With Love.

We're Amanda and Justin — a husband and wife team who got tired of settling for storage that was designed to hide, not celebrate.

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A note from Amanda

Hi, I'm Amanda. And honestly? KineRack started with frustration.

Justin and I have always been proud of our lifestyle. We don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying herbs — we never have. But every time we looked for storage that reflected that pride, we came up empty. Everything we found was either cheaply made, obviously suspicious-looking, or designed with one purpose: to hide. As if the thing inside it was something shameful.

We didn't want to hide. We wanted something beautiful. Something that could sit on a shelf next to our books and plants and candles and fit right in — not because it was disguising itself, but because it was genuinely well-made and worth displaying.

So Justin — who has spent his entire career as a machinist working with metal and plastics — taught himself woodworking and built one. Right here in our home in Urbana, Illinois. And it was exactly what we'd been looking for.

When people started asking where we got it, we realized we weren't the only ones who felt this way. That's when KineRack became something more than a cabinet in our living room.

Fourteen years of marriage has taught us that the best things we do, we do together. I handle the designs, the customer relationships, the social media, and I build right alongside Justin. We hand-select every piece of wood, apply every finish, test every hinge. Each order that leaves our workshop has been touched by both of us — and that means something to us.

We started KineRack because we believe herbs deserve the same dignity as a bottle of wine or a whiskey decanter. No more hiding. No more shame. Just beautiful, functional, proudly displayed storage — made by two people in Illinois who genuinely care about the craft and the community.

Thank you for being here. It means more than you know.

Amanda
Co-Founder & Creative Director, KineRack
Amanda and Justin riding bikes through the Illinois countryside Urbana, Illinois
The Maker

A Machinist Who
Learned to Speak Wood

Justin has spent his entire career as a machinist — working with metal and plastics with a precision that most people never develop. That same obsession with tolerances, finish quality, and structural integrity transferred directly to woodworking when he taught himself the craft from the ground up.

Every cabinet starts with hand-selected hardwood. Every joint is tested. Every finish is food-safe and applied by hand. There are no shortcuts in our workshop — because Justin simply won't allow them.

"If it's not something I'd be proud to put in our own home, it doesn't ship."

Amanda and Justin Amanda & Justin
The Creative

Where Function
Meets Beauty

Amanda has always loved to create. Whether it's designing a new cabinet colorway, crafting content that connects with the community, or dreaming up the next product — she brings the vision that turns Justin's craftsmanship into something people genuinely fall in love with.

She handles every customer interaction personally, manages every social post, and is just as likely to be found sanding a cabinet as she is designing the next one. At KineRack, there's no back office — we're both on the floor.

What We Stand For

Built on Belief

01
No More Hiding

We design storage meant to be displayed proudly — on your shelf, your countertop, your nightstand. Never under a bed or inside a drawer.

02
Break the Stigma

Herbs deserve the same cultural dignity as wine or whiskey. We're here to normalize that — one handcrafted cabinet at a time.

03
Craft Over Commerce

We're not a warehouse. Every piece is handmade by us in Urbana, Illinois — hand-selected wood, food-safe finishes, tested by the people who built it.

04
Community Always

Storage is personal, but this movement is shared. We're proud to be part of a growing community of people who refuse to apologize for how they live.

A Little More About Us

Beyond the Workshop

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Animal Lovers

We share our home with two dogs who have absolutely no interest in respecting our workshop space — and we wouldn't have it any other way. We love all animals and believe in living gently alongside nature.

💍
14 Years Strong

Amanda and Justin have been married for 14 years. KineRack is the latest chapter in a partnership built on shared values, mutual respect, and the belief that the best things in life are made together.

🌿
Rooted in Nature

Based in Urbana, Illinois, we're drawn to natural materials, honest craftsmanship, and a lifestyle that's connected to the earth. That philosophy flows into every piece of wood we choose and every finish we apply.

"Every piece that leaves our workshop has been touched by both of us — and that means something."

When you order from KineRack, you're not buying from a warehouse. You're buying something handmade by Amanda and Justin in Urbana, Illinois — built with pride, finished with care, and shipped with gratitude.