Franchise Times Ranks Glass Doctor on Top Franchise Systems List

Glass Doctor is ranked No. 243 on the Franchise Times Top Franchise Systems list.

Franchise Times bases its selections on annual sales in 2008. Last year Glass Doctor reported $140 million in sales with 163 franchise units in the United States and two in Canada.

Glass Doctor expects to finish the fourth quarter of 2009 strong by adding seven U.S. franchises and four Canadian franchise locations. This year 14 new locations have opened across North America.

Established in 1962 in Seattle, Glass Doctor started franchising in 1977 with a shop in Atlanta. Today there are more than 175 Glass Doctor franchise owners.

Glass Doctor is seeking qualified franchise owners in major markets across the U.S. and Canada, such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco and Toronto.

Open mid-size markets include Dayton, Ohio; Duluth, Minn.; Eugene, Ore.; McAllen, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; and Wichita, Kan.

Financial assistance is available to new franchise owners, especially military veterans through The Dwyer Group VetFran program. For more information about Glass Doctor franchise opportunities, call 1-800-280-9858 or visit The Dwyer Group Web site at

www.leadingtheserviceindustry.com.

Glass Doctor Installs Unique Outdoor Stained Glass Panel

The first Glass Doctor franchise in Canada, Glass Doctor of Kawartha Lakes, ON, recently completed a one-of-a-kind outdoor stained glass signage job. The glass service technicians put clear glass on both sides of the stained glass units, designed and constructed the framing, dug the post holes, cemented the posts and then installed the art work.

Glass Doctor Franchisee of the Year featured in USGNN videocast

USGNN magazine featured Ed Sieber of Glass Doctor of Charlotte in its video report of the GlassBuild America trade show in Atlanta last week. Ed talked about how the recession has affected his window replacement business and how Glass Doctor is working hard from the shop level to the corporate level to recover.

Custom Glass Shower Enclosure Idea in Seattle Solves Space Problem

Glass Doctor of King & Pierce Counties near Seattle, WA created a glass shower enclosure with a custom header design that completely changes the bathroom. The header is suspended one inch above the glass surface, giving the heavy glass extra stability. Notice the edge of the tub has become a seat to take advantage of extra space.

With the extra space the new shower enclosure has multiple shower heads. It also connects to the sink countertop. The shower enclosure in the photo below is from a different bathroom, but with the same "floating" custom header design.

If you are interested in more shower enclosure designs, check out the Glass Doctor shower enclosure virtual showroom where you can look and different designs and match the header colors to the bathroom wall colors.

Windshield Smash Test - 2009 Malibu v. 1959 Bel Air

At Glass Doctor we talk about windshields being essential to proper airbag deployment and the roof structural integrity in today's modern vehicles. If you have a bad windshield replacement and pick a cheap aftermarket windshield for a replacement, your safety may be at risk. This video of a crash test between a 2009 Chevy Malibu and a 1959 Chevy Bel Air proves it. Watch as the airbag protects the passenger because the windshield does not fly out of the vehicle. If you need a windshield replacement, make sure it's provided by a shop that follows the national AGRSS standards.

2009 Chevy Malibu vs 1959 Bel Air Crash Test
This crash test between a modern sedan and the classic 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air shows just how far passenger protection has come in the last fifty years. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety staged the test to commemorate its 50th anniversary.