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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 1985)
Craftsman turns screen doors into artistic touch for homes By Scott McFetridge (M thr tim-rald Willie Mims says a semen door should be thought of as a piece of furniture, just like a sofa or coffee table. But since the aluminum-happy 1950s, it has been difficult to find a screen door to be proud of. Mims, the owner of Oregon Wooden Screen Door Co., plans to change that. "The semen door is very im portant for the entry way and can be as artistic in design as anything else that goes into the “ house." he says. ^ Mims' interest in the doors began when he became involv ed in renovating a historic: Eugene-area home and found there was little to choose from in the way of screen doors Area department atoms stocked only aluminum doors, and other regions of the country had. little • more to offer; . Mims decided to try hts hand at crafting the door on his own, . and soon after, hit and his wife Sully Van Morn .began produc ing the doors as a full-fledged business. Oregon Wooden ■Screen Door Co.- celebrated its first anniversary in June. "We're not a traditional business." Mims says. "We’re making most of it by hand, and that's not traditional."' . Although Mims will -advise customers as. to what style-- of door he feels would beet suit their homes, he will construct any design the customer chooses Mims offers a number of different styles, any of which can be modified, to suit the customer's particular needs "Deciding on a home is a big undertaking, apd we’re saying the door should lie a part of that decision," Mims says. '•."It should represent who is. inside.." Mims says since beginning the company, he has strived, to use the finest wood available; usually pine or Douglas . Fir. Even the most simple- design contains at least $30 worth of wood, he says. "We wanted to be sure the kind of screen door we made would lust the life of the house." Mims' screen doors vary in price from $163 for a fairly plain door to $430 for the ornate Pholo bjr Karrn SUIIwoud Willie Mims,.who started the Oregon Wooden Screen Door Co. niore than a year ago, believes choosing the rightscreen door is as important as choosing furniture. "Quf»h‘8t‘arior"Tioor..Oregon Wooden- Screen _ Door Cd„. which .ernploys- one'craftsman . . in addition to Mims and .Van I lorn,- produces about two doors ■ daily, but' construction of the fn.ost intricate doors can take up to a Week. ■ *. .. «. "That's not much money if you'relooking for qtjality','r Mims says. "Top of the line metal, doors will.cost you alkiut the.same." . ° . A quick check of urea depart ment stores shows Mi ins to be correct". Sears Roebuck and Co. offers screen doors Hinging in price from $79 .to .$250. and Montgomery Ward and Co. has doors priced from $99.99 to $199.99. All. doors af the. two stores have the advantage of inter ’ changeable glass and screens that provide more efficient weather-proofing purposes, but Minis says he plans to offer similar features in his doors soon. ° ’ ‘ • Mims' doors have been~sell-. ing well in the Eugene-area. but he says 60 *' percent of* his business goes out of* state. A large percentage of orders are frqm '-East Coast residents. In * fact, - he V recently, sent three, doors to Vermont; .. Since Mims' doors were featured in several national home-furnishing magazines, orders have increased. Mims says his-company has received .more otdefis since April than all of fast year, and orders are back ed-up until.October. He says he is considering expanding the business, but because, employ ing .one more worker Would double the daily output, he wants to be sure the market can absorb more of the doors. . Minis says his only competi tion is another Eugene-based company called Old N Ornate. 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