Premier Spaces = PremierGarage

At first, I struggled with the words "garage enhancement." They seem to be a contradiction in terms. How can you enhance a place where people park dirty, salt-covered cars? Or where stacks of shoes can be found next to scattered garden tools and a shovedin-the- corner lawnmower?

It would take a premier effort to turn a garage into something of which we are proud. And where do we even begin?

How about from the ground up with hybrid polymer floor coatings and an extensive line of made-for-garage cabinets and shelves, various organizing systems and lots of creative ideas from one source?

Enter PremierGarage and the husband and wife team of Fred and Sue Stone.

"We are all about garage enhancement," Sue says with a smile. "PremierGarage specializes in transforming a garage from an unorganized, cluttered space into a more usable and attractive place with incredible levels of organization."

The Stones, who have been PremierGarage franchisees since January 2006, say their venture into the garage enhancement business was a byproduct of a personal need.

"We were looking into companies that could help us with our own garage at the take when we came across PremierGarage and decided to investigate both what they offered to us as customers and as possible business owners," Fred recalls.

"One of its branding statements is 'Simply the highest quality garage cabinet and flooring you can buy. Period,'" he continues. "After looking into the business model and how well the company was performing, we felt this was a great opportunity."

In December 2005, the entrepreneurs went to Phoenix, Arizona for training, during which they did floors, installed cabinets and organizing systems and gained an even greater appreciation for the PremierGarage philosophy and approach to business.

In business just over a year, PremierGarage experienced success in 2006 and the Stones are expecting 2007 to show even greater expansion here in northeast Indiana. Nationally, PremierGarage also is a big winner.

"The company was listed as 179th in Inc. magazine's America's 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in 2005. This past year, it jumped to 125th," Sue explains.

"Locally, quality products and service and doing the job right are the reasons we've seen such success, but it sure helps when the parent company is so strong," Fred adds.

"Our floor coatings are a new and innovative hybrid polymer guaranteed for five years after installation. The surface cannot be penetrated by oil, salt or dirt as the polymer seals the floor," he explains.

Coatings come in 17 different finishes and you can choose a smooth finish or you can choose between two options for the chips.

Fred, along with Todd Scott, does the floor work, as well as cabinet and shelving installations. "The process includes checking to see if any special needs are required for floor preparation and it's that preparation that really sets us apart from the competition," Fred continues.

"We grind and polish the floor with diamond tooling and probably spend 75% of our total time just making sure the floor is ready. We vacuum, wash and dry the floor, apply the base coat and add chips evenly over the floor to ensure 100% coverage. This all happens on the first day. The second day, we shave the chips down to a smoother finish and add the topcoat. In 24 hours you can drive on it," says Fred.

The Stones have had many satisfied customers this first year. One of them is Renee Wright of Fort Wayne, and she says, "The new floor is absolutely gorgeous and the PremierGarage cabinetry is really solid - very heavy duty - and holds a ton of stuff. I can easily separate my gear and keep my kayak items together, my scuba gear in one place, and I have a special garden rack for gardening items."

Sue, who still works part time in the dental field, says her duties with PremierGarage include some cabinet and organizing system design, office management, scheduling and customer service.

"After participating in the Home and Garden Show last March, there was a lot of interest, especially by women," Sue says as she stands in the foyer of their business, which itself tells the PremierGarage story.

The floor has been treated to a hybrid polymer makeover and attractive cabinets with super-cool stainless accents adorn the wall. There are organizing systems in place, and rounding out the show-off room is a rugged looking, but beautiful, brushed stainless countertop.

"People are wowed when they see the products here but not nearly as much as when we actually finish a project at their home. We have had people tell us, 'It looks too nice to drive on'," Sue says with pride.

PremierGarage cabinets offer a lifetime warranty and are custom designed, along with the shelving, for each project. Maple finish is number one, but stainless veneer is an attractive choice. There are many options for organizing systems, featuring golf club racks, tennis and skate racks, bike hooks, a "grip everything" hook, shelves with hooks, and numerous other styles of tool holders in the seemingly endless list offered by PremierGarage.

Great products aside, Sue emphasizes, "Our word is our business. Referrals have helped drive the business, and we think that is because people appreciate a single source for garage enhancement. Especially when it is done with such concern for quality and respect for the customer's home."

"I don't think there are many options out there that can match our quality and the products we use," Fred adds.

"We are not the least nor the most expensive, but I feel we are the best," pledges Sue.

The Stones look to add several employees and have two crews doing residential and a few doing commercial projects in 2007. Fred hopes to see a team of grinders and a team devoted to doing only the coatings.

Sue concludes, "We are seeing people recognize the garage as a viable part of the home and they want it to be more than just a place to park the family vehicles. As we help them accomplish this, we also want them to know we will be here for them today and tomorrow."

For your information

PremierGorage

Address: 6015 Highview Drive, Bldg. H

Fort Wayne, NJ 46618

Telephone: 260.449.1515

President/Owner: Fred & Sue Stone

Number of Employees: 3

Web Site: www.premiergarage.com

Years in Business: 1+

Products and Services: Hybrid polymer floor coatings,

custom-deisgned cabinets, shelves, grid systems and

organizing systems for home and business.

Copyright Michiana Business Publications, Inc. May 01, 2007

(c) 2007 Business People. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.