Through the looking glass

Suburban glazier buys into the West Loop for retail showroom

12/02/2009 10:00 PM

By MICAH MAIDENBERG
Editor

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A commercial glazier with headquarters in South Suburban Alsip will continue its foray into retail glass products in the West Loop.

Trainor Glass bought land at 938 W. Lake this summer, spending $2.5 million for the purchase, according to property records.

The firm’s background is in commercial glazing — or glass installation — including work on some of the Loop’s prominent new buildings, such as the Trump Tower and the Wit Hotel.

The West Loop location will be Trainor’s fifth retail outlet, said Greta Keranen, the firm’s retail sales and marketing manager, and between 10 and 20 people will work in the 5,000 square foot showroom.


Trainor Glass Company will open a new retail outlet selling glass products in the West Loop by the spring of next year.
Linden Group

“We thought it was a natural next step to open a retail design center in Chicago,” she said, describing the store as “very contemporary,” with clean lines and bright lighting.

On display will be all manner of glass products for homes, from floors and table tops to sinks and faucets. Design stations will allow homeowners to see how the glass products would change their interiors.

Keranen predicted the store would find a customer base, despite the troubles that have blasted the economy in general and the housing market in particular.

“The remodeling sector has been pretty strong,” she said. “People have decided to stay put. They’re not going to sell what they have now. They’re going to make the most of it and get ready for when the economy makes a shift for the better. They can do a bit here and there.”

The firm was unaware that a new Chicago Transit Authority station is planned for nearby, at Morgan and Lake, when they closed on the property, Keranen said. But that news came as an added bonus. “It was like wow and who knew?” she said.

Trainor’s store is expected to be open by April 2010.


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