When we moved into our current location here at 1222 Water Street in Port Huron, we moved into a building that used to be a bait and tackle shop. Through the years it was also a motorcycle repair shop, an ebay store and second hand resale shop. So, needless to say, the shop wasn't the most up to date and beautiful site, but it was the vision that Jim and the rest of us had that made it feel like the right place to call our second home.
After cleaning, building walls, covering walls, carpeting, flooring, new lighting and a lot of lengthy conversations about office layouts and other details, we finally got it looking more like a showroom and office than an old worn out building. But still after all of this was done, we knew something still was missing. It wasn't a new track lighting system or a new walk in tub display from Therapy Tubs. In the end we realized it was an area that everyone that came to visit us saw. From our customers, employees, friends, delivery drivers and even ourselves, we all saw the exterior of our building. The exterior has been painted and we clean it regularly, but we overlooked a simple detail. That detail? Flowers.
We have, for the past few years, had two potted flower arrangements outside by the door but there was this big empty space in front of the building and after another conversation between Jim and myself, we decided to have two flower beds built under each window. So, while Jim was out of town on business I went out to one of the local "Big Box" stores and purchased some soil and flowers. As I planted these flowers and talked wit ha friend that was helping me I didn't really pay much mind to the task at hand. I just went along and made sure everything measured up and was symmetrical. When finished I took a step back and looked at what the end result was and what I saw was unbelievable. I didn't just see some flowers or some color added to the grey of the building. I saw a new building. Just by adding flowers to the front of the business, it made the building look like new. Fresh. Relaxing and inviting.
The next day after a handful of people commented on the change I realized that a detail like that changes the whole feel to what we have here. This, in turn, made me think about our customers and the stories they have told me.
Many of our customers, you may be able to relate to this, have told me how they used to shutter at the thought of friends or family coming over to visit and seeing their tub or shower. How they would always make sure the curtain was closed and pray that no one would just happen to take a look behind it. But after they decided to have Luxury Bath by Mobility Remodelers come in and give them a new look, it wasn't just the tub or shower that changed, but everything in that room changed. This change would spill over into their confidence and comfort of having people come over.
That is another reason why we do what we do. Why should you ever feel fear, shame or just feel like you should never have people over, just due to the condition of your bathroom. When we restrict ourselves like that in life, we take away our freedom and in return we are limited. Limitations, to a degree, should never spill over into whether or not we celebrate life in our own homes.
So when you are looking at the older tub or shower that you have, remember the little things that change everything and a good thing about that is that we are always here for you to help you with that. Yes, I mean always. I love talking with customers about more than just their bathrooms and am more than willing to converse about basically anything, so come on in. Lets talk about your bathroom or your celebration of life...as we look at the flowers I planted of course.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
If We Only Make One
One chance, one life, one choice, one opportunity, one person, one soul, one place, one rhyme. One moment, one second, one order, one child. One home, one job, one love, one life. One day, one time, one mistake, one apology. One season, one trial, one hour, one smile....One difference.
Luxury Bath by Mobility Remodelers started from an experience our owner Jim White went through with his aging Grandparents. Jim was the one who helped with his Grandparents as they aged and struggled to stay in their homes. With the experience he went through with people telling his loved ones that they would have to leave the home that they worked so hard on, they raised their children in and they considered their safe haven, he had an idea. Why do people have to leave their homes? What if someone was able to help in the process of giving these people an option? Not just an option to stay in their homes, but an option for the family to save money on the costs of a traditional nursing home or senior living community.
Jim took this idea and worked on it within his head for years. As Jim worked in the home improvement industry for years, spending time working in the window industry and then moving on to working within the bathroom industry working with Luxury Bath products. It was here that Jim was able to finally see the idea fully and had the opportunity to act upon this idea and bring it to light and begin to make a difference.
At this time Jim moved to Port Huron Michigan, from Chicago, and took over a franchise of Luxury Bath from a owner that was retiring. Taking over the franchise and researching products and looking over options, Mobility Remodelers began to come together. With hours of remodeling a new office, researching what products were not only the top of the line for his customers but also cost effective for them, he was able to get a solid line of product to present to customers and hope to make the difference to even just one persons life.
I am not sure if you have ever opened a business or even been around a friend or family member that has, but when you first open the doors, you don't open the doors with your own energy, but you use the energy from a wish. Jim began advertising the local area and using all marketing skills and tools he and his staff had. With a lot of hard work, the phones started ringing, the appointments began to fill the calendar and the familiar ring if the door opening began to interrupt my music, but it was a joyful interruption.
We are coming up on three years since Jim opened up the doors here at 1222 Water Street with a dream and a prayer and to this day I still come here and my key works, so I know we are doing something right. But in the end it doesn't matter how often the door chimes or the phone rings, what matters is that there is a difference being made. Hearing the stories of people who were looking at the options of senior living and alternative ways to live with assistance but now are able to stay home. Yes, I know, we only work on the bathroom area of the home. But when you think about it, the bathroom is the main area that gives you a challenge in a home as you get older. As the years go by, even from my experience, it seems like the tub gets a little higher each year. But in all truth I know it's just me getting older.
But as I am here every day the phone rings and when I pick it up to the joyful sound of a customer thanking us for giving them a new freedom it makes me realize. When we started this all we wanted to do was make the difference in one persons life and as I look back, we've done that and are continuing to do so every day.
Luxury Bath by Mobility Remodelers started from an experience our owner Jim White went through with his aging Grandparents. Jim was the one who helped with his Grandparents as they aged and struggled to stay in their homes. With the experience he went through with people telling his loved ones that they would have to leave the home that they worked so hard on, they raised their children in and they considered their safe haven, he had an idea. Why do people have to leave their homes? What if someone was able to help in the process of giving these people an option? Not just an option to stay in their homes, but an option for the family to save money on the costs of a traditional nursing home or senior living community.
Jim took this idea and worked on it within his head for years. As Jim worked in the home improvement industry for years, spending time working in the window industry and then moving on to working within the bathroom industry working with Luxury Bath products. It was here that Jim was able to finally see the idea fully and had the opportunity to act upon this idea and bring it to light and begin to make a difference.
At this time Jim moved to Port Huron Michigan, from Chicago, and took over a franchise of Luxury Bath from a owner that was retiring. Taking over the franchise and researching products and looking over options, Mobility Remodelers began to come together. With hours of remodeling a new office, researching what products were not only the top of the line for his customers but also cost effective for them, he was able to get a solid line of product to present to customers and hope to make the difference to even just one persons life.
I am not sure if you have ever opened a business or even been around a friend or family member that has, but when you first open the doors, you don't open the doors with your own energy, but you use the energy from a wish. Jim began advertising the local area and using all marketing skills and tools he and his staff had. With a lot of hard work, the phones started ringing, the appointments began to fill the calendar and the familiar ring if the door opening began to interrupt my music, but it was a joyful interruption.
We are coming up on three years since Jim opened up the doors here at 1222 Water Street with a dream and a prayer and to this day I still come here and my key works, so I know we are doing something right. But in the end it doesn't matter how often the door chimes or the phone rings, what matters is that there is a difference being made. Hearing the stories of people who were looking at the options of senior living and alternative ways to live with assistance but now are able to stay home. Yes, I know, we only work on the bathroom area of the home. But when you think about it, the bathroom is the main area that gives you a challenge in a home as you get older. As the years go by, even from my experience, it seems like the tub gets a little higher each year. But in all truth I know it's just me getting older.
But as I am here every day the phone rings and when I pick it up to the joyful sound of a customer thanking us for giving them a new freedom it makes me realize. When we started this all we wanted to do was make the difference in one persons life and as I look back, we've done that and are continuing to do so every day.
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