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.
No other company in the coun
try offers anything close to the
quality of these two companies^
he says'
. ‘ ‘ * " '
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