Doors by Decora in Gaylord Opryland Resort
In my family we have a tradition….especially during the Christmas holidays, we love to go drive around neighborhoods and look. Look at houses. At Christmas, look at the decorations. We have always done this, as long as I can remember. We really do have a reason for driving around looking at houses. My family owns and operates a small business in Montgomery, AL, that designs, manufactures, artistically creates, lovingly handcrafts and painstakingly stains and finishes entryways.
My father is, in my eyes, a mathematical genius. When I was growing up he was who I went to with problems in math, algebra or geometry. He began creating stained glass windows when I was in the 2nd grade. He had a workshop in the basement of the house we were living in at the time, and he would spend most of his Saturday and Sunday every week in there creating. He did beautiful work. When we moved to Montgomery, he had a building placed in our back yard in which he built a custom workspace to build his stained glass. During the next few years he and my mother began traveling to local area craft shows to sell his creations. He won ribbons and had a lot of faithful customers that he made through the craft shows. My brother and I enjoyed spending the weekends at the craft shows, too! We enjoyed spending the time with my parents, walking around looking and touching everything…and the FOOD!
Doors by Decora Victorian Flowers
As the years went on, my dad’s backyard business grew. He was becoming well known in the state of Alabama for his artistry and great rapport with his customers. My dad has been in sales for years. He was known to his customers, to whom he sold computer systems, as someone who listened and solved any issues they may encounter. This service is what he founded his sales of his stained glass on. During this time, my mom began doing sales from our home…this was really turning into a full-time business, not just a weekend hobby!
Over the years my dad instilled a desire in my brother and me to be a part of the Doors by Decora family. My brother, J.K., began working with Doors by Decora when he was in high school. He began in the stained glass area, and during his college years also worked in installation and sales. He has practically done everything there is to do when building one of our doors.
Bill, a close friend of mine in high school, began working with my mother and father right out of high school. Next to my dad, he knows more about the business than anyone else. He now oversees the day-to-day operations of the business, every aspect.
Doors by Decora Custom Gothic Arch
The work that is done at Doors by Decora is second to none! I know that I am the daughter of the business, but I also know the standards that we meet. We look at every piece of wood, every piece of glass, and every piece of hardware.
Because our product is custom made, we have had customers from all over the USA, and all over the world! Many of these customers are second and third time customers, too! One repeat customer is Mr. James Hammond. Mr. Hammond came to Doors by Decora in April 1999 to have doors customized to his home here in Alabama. Since 1999 and his original order, we have done his beach house at the Gulf of Mexico, a cabin retreat for his wife, his guest house on his property, multiple jobs for his church, and our latest job has been a house he built in Auburn, AL, to use before and after Auburn University football games! Mr. Hammond is just one example of many customers who have bought from Doors by Decora, and then sold and rebuild or built another home, and returned to us for their entryway, customized glass, hardware or other intricate work we can do.
In 2000, Doors by Decorawas nominated by AUM for Small Business of the Year for the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. We were pleased to win for the entire city, even though our small business employs less than 30 employees. We have a tradition of family, craftsmanship and customer care, and it will continue for many years to come!
Third Generation of Doors By Decora
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