For the last three decades, Northern Window & Door has prided itself on manufacturing its products in Thunder Bay.
“That’s extremely important for us,” owner Christine St. Amand said. “We install our own product and we don’t contract anything out.
“Our employees have been here for a long time and the turnaround time for the products is great. Those things are huge for us.”
When St. Amand’s dad Richard started Northern Window & Door, the business originated on Hardisty Street North.
The manufacturing factory is still located there today, while the sales department has moved over to its current location Simpson Street.
“We’re not that far away from each other though,” St. Amand said with a smile.
“We’ve been going from generation to generation here. My son Rich, who has been working here since he was 18, is part of the next generation that’s coming in.”
While most of Northern Window & Door’s clientele is in Thunder Bay, they also serve customers in Ignace, Nipigon, Red Rock, Schreiber, Terrace Bay and Upsala.
“Word of mouth has been huge for us here in Thunder Bay,” St. Amand said. “Even though we are a bigger city, we’re still a small community.
“We have a lot of repeat customers that tell people about us and that’s how we end up meeting new people. With how long we’ve been around, we also have generations of friends and families that are still our customers.”
St. Amand said that when someone comes into Northern Window & Door, the staff’s goal is to teach them about their products so that they are making a knowledgeable decision.
“If it’s an installation, we’ll book an appointment to come out to their place because obviously some sizes determine what style of window and we manufacture to fit,” St. Amand said.
“We manufacture as things are ordered. We don’t customize anything. So that determined what fits their needs and we show them different options.”
For new homeowners, the process of getting new windows and doors can sometimes be overwhelming.
St. Amand said that picking out a door is usually easier, as it is usually just a choice of glass that people decided what their personal preference is, it can be a little more difficult to find the right window.
“When they come here, we show them the different styles that we offer and we literally teach about the windows and how they work, so that they can make the right choice,” St. Amand said.
Northern Window and Door is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at their location on 408 Simpson Street.
In addition to visiting the showroom during store hours, more information can be found by calling 807-622-2880 or by visiting Northern Window & Door’s website.
