Going out of town on a weekly basis is no big deal for Lake Orion Window Treatments Paul Cole. He’s installing various types of window treatments for commercial clients all over the state.
Paul’s wife Janice owns the business that’s been located in the Village of Lake Orion for 20 years. The couple tried working out of their home in Orion Township for the first year, but Janice admits she got pretty tired of seeing fabric piled up all over the place.
Their building on South Broadway has a rich history, once housing a clothing store and the famous Art’s Pizza.
According to Janice, much of their products and services are geared towards commercial. ‘But we do work for designers and residential customers as well,? she adds.
LO Window Treatments have provided window treatments for hotels such as Somerset Hotel, Webber’s Inn and a hotels in Chicago, High Pointe, North Carolina and Kentucky.
‘We do a lot of university work such as dorms, offices, banquet facilities — sometimes whole buildings,? Paul says.
He jokes that he has even worked in the jail in Petosky before admitting it was an expansion of the jail facility and he was installing electric shades in a new court room.
‘But we did do the shower curtains in the Macomb County Jail,? he adds.
Lake Orion Window Treatments sells motorized shades, verticals, horizontals, pleated and cellular shades, cubicles, drapery fabrics, drapery hardware for MechoShade, Graber and Hunter Douglas as well as repair them. The Coles also do light upholstery.
The cubicles are primarily used in hospitals and nursing homes.
Lake Orion Window Treatments makes all its drapes and some of the vertical blinds. The only time they don’t make the blinds is when they’re extremely busy.
Paul and Janice do their own installations. ‘They’re not subcontracted out. Our customers only have to deal with one company,? Janice says.
They also install large projection screens. Several are at St. Mary’s in Orchard Lake.
All of the Lake Orion Window Treatments products have a warranty.
‘We sell only good quality, nothing at the low end,? Paul says.
The Coles frequently work with home builders, often installing window treatments in an entire house.
They moved to Orion Township in 1975. Janice liked the area because friends of her parents owned a home and she spent many summers out here when she was a little girl.
Paul does the bid work and installs the window treatments. He has been very active in the Lake Orion Lions Club and Lake Orion’s American Legion. Janice takes care of all the accounts and helps the customers.
Lake Orion Window Treatments is located at 47 South Broadway. Phone 248-693-0124; fax: 248-693-0031; email: lkorionwt@aol.com. The business is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and the first Saturday of every month.