Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
(LINTON) - After 24 years as an employee at Linton Glass Company, Jim Dale is excited, and nervous, to call the business his own.
Sabrina Westfall, of the Greene County Daily World reports, Dale and his wife, Rita, officially opened the West Vincennes Street business as co-owners July 24th.
"She is a bigger stockholder than I am," Dale added with a laugh.
Dale is already familiar with the running of the business, considering he worked at Linton Glass under Rich Sollars for 14 years, then spent another 10 years working for previous owner Larry Rodgers.
When Sollars decided he wanted to sell the business Dale said he considered purchasing the business, but did not have the means.
When the chance arose a second time Dale decided it was time.
"Larry was wanting to retire, and he talked about wanting to find someone to sell it to and I expressed interest. We talked about it, and if he couldn't find someone to sell it to he was going to close the place," Dale explained.
He was quick to realize he did not want that to happen.
"Last year he said he couldn't seem to find anyone to buy it. We may have to close, but I said I was still interested. At first the price was too high, and it took a year of figuring, but we worked it out," the new business owner said.
Dale's first response to his feelings about being a business owner were nervousness.
"I worked here all this time, but it's different know that we are the owners," he explained. "I'm confident everything will be fine."
As the doors opened under the new owners, Dale said they still work in "anything and everything glass."
They deal in residential glass, auto glass, commercial glass, windows, mirrors and even stained glass.
"Stained glass was something I had done on the side, so I decided to add it to the business," Dale said.
One big change Dale has made is the inclusion of aluminum and vinyl fencing through Digger Specialties in northern Indiana.
"It was a product used by Morrison Brothers when I worked for them for four years. There are not any dealers around here so I contacted them (Digger Specialties)," Dale explained.
Linton Glass Company already has some commercial glass projects in the works in the Terre Haute area.
The business is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can get information about glass needs by stopping by the office, calling 847-2229 or by email at lintonglass@sbcglobal.net .
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