New Owner Takes Shine To Glass Business
Valley Glass, 222 S. Pines, has changed hands.
The 51-year-old Valley business was sold to JLW Inc. by John Shelton, who owned the business since 1994. The deal took effect early last month, said Mike Jensen of JLW.
He’s already changing the focus of the glass company.
“We’re opening the doors into many different types of vinyl and wood windows,” said Jensen.
Another change: The store will now be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
That’s attracted a lot of customer traffic, Jensen says.
Shelton has started his own company, called Advantage Window and Door, to cater to commercial buyers.
Jensen plans on hiring about four new employees to keep up with the summertime shuffle. Currently, there are 12 employees working at Valley Glass.
Remodeling work in the store has also begun. The facelift will include removal of a wall and new sliding doors, Jensen said.
Jensen, a lifelong Valley resident, has 30 years of experience working with glass.
Local printer honored
United Lithographers, a Valley-based printing company, recently won a national award for excellence in digital printing.
The 18-year-old company received the Benjamin Franklin award from the Printing Industry two weeks ago.
The Valley company was selected from 15,000 participating members in the national organization.
The winning image was based on the cover of the Addy Awards program. The Addy Awards are given annually to Spokane firms for excellence in advertising.
“If the organization is winning awards and is recognized on a global level, personally I am satisfied,” said Ray Tyson-Flyn, who credits his staff for the award.
He says that digital printing is the future of American press publishing, since it is more cost effective than traditional forms of printing.
Digital printing allows images and projects to be transferred from computer disc or file directly to paper, eliminating several steps.
Valley business opens online
Online Spokane, an online advertising agency, ventured into cyberspace - and business - last month.
The new Valley-based agency, at 122 N. Raymond, designs online ads for Spokane firms. The firm opened in early July.
“We forsee this as being a multimillion dollar business,” said Della Schmitt, who owns the company with her husband, Del.
Both Schmitts have extensive business backgrounds in the Valley. They’ve owned Del Schmitt insurance for the past 16 years, and also had a mobile home setup business for several years.
Extra employees will be needed for the online firm, said Schmitt. She anticipates hiring several office employees and salespeople. Currently the firm employs five people.
The online agency is planning a radio campaign and involvement with Pig Out in the Park this fall at Riverfront Park.
Their website can be accessed at: www.onlinespokane.com
Since mid-June, 776 visitors have accessed the site, Schmitt said.
, DataTimes