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.

Glass Doctor Goes to Washington, Talks Healthcare Reform

Ed Sieber, owner of the Glass Doctor of Charlotte franchise, discussed the impact of healthcare reform on small businesses across the country with U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and U.S. Senator Kay Hagen (D-NC). Ed was in Washington D.C. as part of the International Franchise Association (IFA) 10th Annual Public Affairs Conference.

“We urged our congressional leaders to focus on reducing the cost of health care, improving the quality and efficiency of the health care system, and making health insurance affordable for businesses to offer to their employees,” said Sieber, who is the Glass Doctor national Franchisee of the Year. “There are more than 900,000 franchised businesses responsible for 21 million jobs and $2.3 trillion of private-sector output in the U.S. We will have a great impact on the economic recovery, so we appreciate having our voices heard.”

In addition to health care, Sieber and other franchise owners are concerned about the state of short-term financing.

“The government has offered some limited short-term loans through the Small Business Administration, but to really jump-start the economy we feel Congress should promote more lending so that we can offer more jobs and invest in our businesses,” Sieber said. “A 40 percent reduction in franchise lending is expected this year, which would result in the loss of an estimated 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.”

Sieber’s business was directly affected by the stagnant economy earlier this year. He closed one of his three Charlotte-area glass shops in January. Now business is slowly returning, but Sieber does not have the cash to add glass service technicians and his business does not qualify for a short-term loan.

“Ultimately if the short-term loan and revolving credit logjam is broken and meaningful health care reform is enacted, then the consumer will benefit the most,” Sieber said. “Small businesses like ours will be able to expand our products and services, and then we can hire more people. Hopefully both parties in Congress will work together so that the economic recovery will take off.”

How to Save Energy and Money by Preparing Windows for Winter - Part 2

Permanent window draft solutions are best for homes that experience all four seasons, and especially those homes in colder climates These solutions may set you back a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, depending on the size of your home and the number of windows.

• Start by replacing cracked glass panes. Full-service glass shops such as Glass Doctor can replace a single pane without having the replace the entire window.
• Foggy Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) have leaks, so they are not insulating like they should. Many products claim to remove moisture from IGUs, but the seal will never be the same. Full-service glass shops can repair or replace bad IGUs so that your home has the original insulation factor. If your home does not have IGUs, in 2009 and 2010 there is a federal income tax credit of 30% of product cost up to $1,500 for energy efficient replacement windows that can help you afford new windows.
• If you cannot afford replacement windows even with the tax credit, storm windows may be a more viable option. They can be installed on the interior or exterior of the existing windows to provide additional layers of glass. Storm windows do not reduce energy loss like IGUs, but they can prevent drafts.

For more information about energy-efficient window options, go to the Energy Savers Web site by the U.S. Department of Energy.