CALIFORNIA SLIDING DOOR GETS IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.BUSINESS NAME: California California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). Sliding Door Repair and Installation BUSINESS ADDRESS: 20310 Londelius St., Winnetka Winnetka (wĭnĕt`kə), village (1990 pop. 12,174), Cook co., NE Ill., a residential suburb of Chicago, on Lake Michigan; inc. 1869. , CA 91306 PHONE: (818) 709-0810 OWNER: Terry and Lynn Lynn, city (1990 pop. 81,245), Essex co., E Mass.; inc. as a town 1631, as a city 1850. Lynn is an old industrial center. The first ironworks (1643) and the first fire engine (1654) in the country were built there. Faber FABER Flexion, Abduction, External Rotation ESTABLISHED: 1974 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 4 DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS: Specializing in making sliding glass doors roll like new, installing mirror closet doors and heavy duty sliding screen doors. IS THIS YOUR FIRST BUSINESS? Yes WHY DID YOU START THIS BUSINESS? At the time, there were no companies that specialized spe·cial·ize v. spe·cial·ized, spe·cial·iz·ing, spe·cial·iz·es v.intr. 1. To pursue a special activity, occupation, or field of study. 2. in sliding glass door repair. I thought I could make a living doing this. WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA? My father had a sliding door manufacturing company and my mother had a screen and glass shop. HOW LONG WAS IT FROM CONCEPT TO OPENING? Six months WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THAT TIME? Tried to figure out what I had to stock in tools and parts, how to advertise, how to get licensed and insured and determine who would answer the phone. Also how to measure, order and get patio patio In Spanish and Latin American architecture, a courtyard open to the sky within a building. A Spanish development of the Roman atrium, it is comparable to the Italian cortile but provides more seclusion, possibly due to Moorish custom. The patio of the contemporary U.S. doors, mirror doors and screen doors delivered. WHAT WERE YOUR STARTUP COSTS AND HOW DID YOU FINANCE THE BUSINESS? $50,000 from savings and borrowed. WHO DID YOU RELY ON FOR ADVICE? Door companies and people in the service industries. WHAT HADN'T YOU CONSIDERED BEFORE OPENING? If you have to make two trips to fix a door you lose money and the customer gets annoyed. You need to not get involved with jobs where you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what you're doing. WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED REVENUE THIS YEAR? $100,000 WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE COMPANY? I just want to keep doing what I do. Most everyone in the local door and glass industry knows who California Sliding Door is and they recommend us to fix glass doors. My goal is to keep a couple of people employed, have nice vehicles and be able to show up on time and do my job for the price quoted on the phone. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Lynn and Terry Faber operate California Sliding Door, a firm based in Chatsworth. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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