Shutter Store sells products to help locals keep the sunshine out
Jennifer Van Wie opens her desk drawer and pulls out samples of shutter slats as she explains her new product, the privacy shutter.
A few employees of The Shutter Store work just outside her office. As operations manager, Van Wie runs the day-to-day happenings at the Las Vegas-based company at 7540 Dean Martin Drive.
The company was founded in 2009 on a do-it-yourself model, but that quickly changed.
“Once we put up the sign, we started getting a lot of foot traffic in,” Van Wie said.
After that, she created a small showroom to accommodate her drive-up customers. On a recent day, the showroom featured those new privacy shutters that have interlocking slats.
“It really is a unique product to us,” Van Wie said.
Prices range from about $20 per square foot to $30 per square foot for the products. And, the company is now equipped to do local measure and installs.
“It’s a neat differentiation from our sister companies,” Van Wie said.
One of them, The California Co., is strictly do-it-yourself. The other, Shutterly Fabulous, is strictly measure and install. Both are based in the United Kingdom.
“The Shutter Store here in Las Vegas is now the blend of both of them,” Van Wie said.
Since adding the measure and install portion of the business, Van Wie said she’s seen local interest increase.
“It’s a slow ramp-up from when we first put up the sign and got the showroom put together,” she said. “It’s always nice to meet locals and have them come in and see the amazing things we can do for their home.”
But what’s the most popular shutter?
“Much to my chagrin, it’s the plain white,” she said. “I love color and we can do so many stains and paints but across the board … it seems to be the white. I was really excited when I had a lady who wanted red shutters.”
The Shutter Store recently added Express Wood and vinyl products to its offerings, and turnaround time can be shortened to three weeks from the five-to-eight-week range it takes with other products.
Van Wie said she’s been striving to make the company not only successful but also a good local steward. As such, she donates any unused shutter samples to organizations for use in art projects.
Contact reporter Laura Carroll at
lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588.
Follow @lscvegas on Twitter.