“If you build it, they will come.”
That’s the famous line from the 1989 Oscar-nominated film, Field of Dreams – a movie about a farmer in Iowa who built a baseball diamond in the middle of a cornfield because he had a vision. For Pella of DFW/West Texas, their own field of dreams lies in Fort Worth and soon Dallas, with their new Experience Centers.
In July the Fort Worth 5,000 square-foot Experience Center had its Grand Opening. A combination of showroom, event center, and builder community space is located close to TCU and the Botanical Gardens, it is a window and door experience that showcases how Pella windows and doors look in an installation – giving builders and homeowners a “real” feel for the products. But there is more…the Center serves as a meeting space with a conference room for local builders, and industry associations. And the Center offers three private meeting rooms, so builders and architects can reserve private space to host clients to go over home projects. Pella of DFW/West Texas also plans to feature “how to” seminars and educational classes to help homeowners with their projects.
“We felt that if we built it, they would come,” said Jared Canter, General Manager for Pella of DFW/West Texas trade/commercial sales. “We wanted to build an inviting Center that not only showcased our products -- along with technical and informational support -- but also create a gathering place for builders. Often, associations in the building community are looking for space to host events, and this is it. We also knew that many builders needed a quiet area to meet with clients and we wanted to accommodate that need as well. This is a unique space for our builders to use, and a way for us to also tell the Pella story, so homeowners can make informed decisions when it comes to windows and doors.”
Pella of DFW/West Texas hosted a “sneak preview” of the Center in March for the building community, and the response was overwhelming. “We had more than 140 people, mostly builders, come through our new facility that day – they were as excited as we were,” said Jared.
One of those builders was Cheryl Bean, owner of B Smart, a company that has been doing new home and remodel construction for 15 years. “This is an inviting place to be, and people can see Pella’s full breadth of products. And the staff at Pella is so knowledgeable – they’ll help educate homeowners in their options. Other window distributors are often in a warehouse, or windows are shown in a space as a subset of other fixtures sold in a house. But this is dedicated to Pella windows – it’s a showroom.”
Cheryl, who is the past president of the Fort Worth Builders Association, said she was especially excited about the size of the Experience Center and how it lends itself to the building community. “It’s a versatile space with walls that can slide,” she said. “It’s wonderful that the Builders Association and other groups can use this facility. I know first-hand that meeting space is hard to find, and this is perfect. I also like how they have individual meeting rooms so builders can host their clients. When I first started out, I worked out of my house, and I know most other builders start that way too. They’ll appreciate being able to reserve space for a professional meeting area. It’s evident that Pella is not only investing in a building, but in its relationships with builders.”
Eason Maykus, president of Maykus Homes and Neighborhoods – a family business dating back to the 1980s, agreed. “The new Experience Center is really a continuation of what separates Pella from the others,” he said. “It was great to go to the ‘soft opening’ to see what they created. When it comes to service, quality, look, design, and customer service, what they offer is unmatched. It’s the best. It’s why I have Pella in my own house.
“The opening of the Center comes at the right time,” Eason added. “I have a young couple I’m working with and want them to go through the showroom to learn more about windows and the quality choice Pella offers. Pella has a great resource here and we will take advantage of it.”
With a team of ready-to-serve sales consultants that take care of builders and residential customers in the Fort Worth area, Jared said Pella continues to be a growing brand in the area.
“Our diverse product line continues to grow, and we have a complete lineup of windows and doors that can match different needs and budgets. We have everything from premium vinyl/fiberglass that are no maintenance, to premium wood-clad windows, and we now are excited to have recently launched two new lines of large sliding doors.”
This fall will be the will be the unveiling of a second Experience Center. Under final construction in the Dallas Design District. That too will feature a large showroom, along with a setting for group gatherings and three offices for builders and architects to reserve and use with its clients.
“We are so excited to be launched in the community in Fort Worth and look forward to launching Dallas very soon,” said Jared. “It’s exciting times for our company as we continue to support the building community with facilities that are second to none.”
