Toolin’ Around Town: For Don Franklin, garage doors are more than an open-and-shut business

Those who have undergone the process of building a home, or endured a kitchen or bathroom remodel, know the myriad choices involved. Floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, the selection process can be intimidating and tiring. Until recently, I didn’t realize that, when purchasing or replacing a garage door, the selection can be equally perplexing.

Modern garage doors have become so reliable they’re rarely given a second thought. Homeowners overlook the fact that the heavily used mechanical devices are subject to breakdown, which often causes anxiety or consternation when they malfunction.

“People are spoiled. When their garage doors break, they get mad,” said Don Franklin, owner of Don’s Garage Door Co., currently celebrating its 40th anniversary in sales, installation and maintenance of residential and commercial garage doors. Born and raised in Petaluma, Franklin fine-tuned his previous building experience into a thriving specialty trade during the late 1970s. “Periodic servicing is important, but gets overlooked,” he said. “For us it’s a priority call. Doors break every day.”

Gone are the days when kids hopped out of the car to manually open the garage door for mom and dad. (Along with being the original garage door openers, kids were also the designated TV channel changers before remote controls came along.) Advances in electronic codes have eliminated the accidental triggering of doors by neighbors or airplanes.

“When I started out, only the affluent had automatic door openers, then they spread everywhere and my business just took off,” said Franklin.

Today, smart-phone apps allow voice-controlled operation and new technology permits remote devices to control up to three doors at a time. Modern garage door openers can monitor garage doors, or open and close them, from anywhere in the world. Another industry change, adapted through Wildland Urban Interface - whose objective is to safeguard life and property from fire - requires all new electronic doors to be fire resistant and have battery backup.

Before founding his business and building a solid reputation for service and reliability as one of Petaluma’s premier garage door companies, Franklin enjoyed various forms of employment, beginning with mowing his neighbor’s lawns. At Roger Wilco Market, he worked his way up from box-boy to cashier, a job that provided plenty of spending money, but limited his social life.

After graduating from Petaluma High in 1970, he and several friends went to Europe, where they led a vagabond lifestyle for seven months, staying at youth hostels and in farmers’ barns until their money ran out. Back home, he landed a carpenter’s apprenticeship with Condiotti Construction, which led to a journeyman’s position with Young America Homes.

He got his garage door license in 1979, while building custom homes with close friend Glen Silliman, carrying a big workload, working in both fields and operating as a one-man business.

“It was hard work. I beat myself up, trying to keep pace,” said Franklin. “Working through referrals and by word of mouth, I kept busy. Reputable builders started using me and I hired several workers. Being a homegrown Petaluman was very helpful. One of the best things I ever did was hire Blain Milner, more than 30 years ago. He’s a great employee and a great friend. I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Innovations in garage door design can improve a home’s curb appeal and increase its resale value. If you’re in the market, some of the decisions involve choosing designs, materials (wood, steel, or aluminum), panels, hardware and style options, and many types of glass.

“You’ve got to sell a decent product and be able to back it up,” said Franklin, who employs five technicians and is seeking qualified workers.

Located in the former Nielson Freight Lines terminal on Magnolia Avenue, where the doors are assembled and materials stored, Franklin plans on serving the North Bay area for years to come.

“Since I don’t play golf and I’ve got to keep busy, I have no plans on retiring,” said the 66-year-old Franklin, who enjoys time off traveling to remote destinations with his “fiancée-forever” Kelly, while his daughter, Jordana, capably runs the business office.

“When I started out, garage doors were more of a niche market. Today we have lots competition. You get what you pay for,” said Franklin. “Years ago, men would come in and wanted to buy their wives a garage door opener for Christmas. Times have changed.”

(Harlan Osborne’s ‘Toolin’ Around Town’ runs every other week in the Argus-Courier. You can reach him at harlan@sonic.net)