Cinric is located at 1110 Carroll St., where the Pit Stop was formerly located. Owned previously by Don Kern, Rick said he has been looking at this location for quite some time and was thrilled to be able to purchase the building and become a Pawnee business owner. Rick and Cindy live outside of town with their seven children (ages 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 8 months).
Pawnee was perfect because the Mulkins wanted to work in a small-town environment. “I’m a 3rd generation paint contractor,” Rick Mulkins said. “My grandpa, Bill Mulkins started painting in the 1950s in Springfield. My Dad, Rick Sr., ran Rainbow Painting for several years.”
Rick learned the craft over summers and school breaks. Growing up in Riverton and graduating from Riverton High, he went on to UIS and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. “I had bigger dreams to work in Corporate America. I always wanted to own my own business,” Rick said. “But I wanted to move to the big city and pursue my dreams.”
So, like many young people, Rick headed for the Windy City. There he worked in many sales roles. “I worked for various manufacturers and distribution companies in a variety of leadership roles. In Chicago I met my wife, Cindy. We married in 2008. She had a love of Interior Design and everything involved with home renovations. Together we started buying, renovating and flipping houses.”
While he learned painting from the family business, it was working on his own home and that of his neighbors that Rick picked up the needed carpentry and fine finishing skills. “My wife Cindy got me a miter saw and said, ‘you can do this.’ So, I started practicing. Friends and neighbors saw the work and said, ‘Would you do this at our house?’”
Rick said it all really began by helping their neighbors with jobs like painting and finish carpentry. “We started cultivating the love for this business. Then people said, ‘Why don’t you do this for a living?’”
The idea took and eventually, they opened Cinric Painting in 2018! In the meantime, though Rick said, “The years in Corporate America gave me a good idea of business and necessary skills to operate my own business.”
It wasn’t long before Rick started longing for small-town living again. Trying to convince Cindy that small-town roots were a good thing since she was a Chicago girl took a bit of time. “It was a major culture shock after the Chicago transition, but now she loves it. We live on six acres and now she wishes we had more! She no longer misses those big city lights.”
Rick said they accomplished what they were after. “We wanted to change our lives and radically pursue our passion.”
With the funds from flipping houses and such, they were ready to take the plunge and Rick and Cindy began their business with a building on their land. “In 2018 we said, ‘let’s do this’. We have been very blessed. My dad always says what we have accomplished in three years is staggering,” Working primarily within 40 miles of Pawnee, Cinric offers painting for interior and exterior for both residential and commercial buildings. They offer cabinet refinishing, remove and install wallpaper, interior design, and specialty refinishing. They also do finish carpentry, including crown molding, built-ins, shiplap, custom fireplace mantles, etc. “It is the little things that change the dynamics of a home. We are the last people that come in to make it look pretty,” Rick said. “We focus on premium services on a smaller scale. We finish the house off for them.
While the work ethic is essential to Rick and Cindy and the staff at Cinric, Rick pointed out their motto that hangs in their office. “We exist to serve people by providing an extraordinary experience, a positive company culture, and integrating premier craftsmanship all for the glory of God.”
“The heart of everything is our faith and our family,” Rick said. “I’m so grateful we get to do what we do. We view what we do as a ministry.”
Cindy’s background is as an educator, which comes in handy, homeschooling her busy family. Cindy also has skills in Interior Design as well. Together, the Mulkins use their talents and the collaboration of their dedicated staff of 15 team members. This is a family-style operation, in fact, Rick’s dad (Rick Mulkins Sr.) works part-time with us. “Our employees are a unified team. We can’t do what we do without each of them. We have one father and son team. We are family-focused. We value our people.” Rick added.
