(Front row L to R: Dave Cardinal and Luke Therrien (owner of Stittsville Glass & Signs), behind them L to R are Andrew Brown, Dayna Hammond (Nancy’s daughter), Nancy Therrien (owner of Stittsville Glass & Signs) and Mario Florent. Davis Genmill, in the back, is a former employee who remains close friends with the team. Photos provided by Stittsville Glass & Signs)
It was on May 1, 2000 that Stittsville Glass & Signs (SG&S) opened their doors as a new business in Stittsville. The young owners of this new business — Luke and Nancy Therrien. Twenty years later, on May 1, 2020, they celebrated this milestone during a pandemic. There was no fanfare, but a calendar date on which Luke, Nancy and staff celebrated with two decades of memories. The business was originally situated where the Quitter’s coffee shop is now located. As the business grew, a larger space was soon required and found – right next door. From that first day, SG&S has become a cornerstone of the Stittsville community.
Nancy told us, “Unfortunately, our 20th anniversary came during this pandemic. That’s not the way we wanted to celebrate our 20th year but we’re so grateful and happy to have a business in such a warm and caring community. We’ve always felt love and support from this community which is why we have always tried to do as much as we can to give back to it.”
It is not just the twenty years of hard work and dedication put into the business that makes it a success, but the SG&S team can pride itself on the quality of their workmanship, products and especially their customer service. They go above and beyond to satisfy every need for their customers and contractors.
When you hear the word volunteer or support, SG&S comes to the minds of many. Luke and Nancy have actively given back to the community through their support of events, local sports teams and many fundraisers. They are huge Senators fans and support the team in every way possible. Surely you recall their mannequin, Merle, donning a Sens jersey beckoning cheers and horn honking in support of the team. Their little dog Sugar Bear got in on the action as well and loyally sported a Sens sticker. In 2010, Eric Longley of CTV news just had to come to Stittsville to see what all the noise was about!
Luke and Nancy both sit on the board of the Stittsville Village Association and have volunteered many hours on behalf of the organization. They never hesitate to offer their business location or volunteer time to assist with the SVA Christmas parade, Arts in the Park, Canada Day and other events. Luke and Nancy are the definition of volunteerism and community support.
The couple have always supported other businesses in Stittsville — providing signage and promoting each one through referral. As members of the Stittsville Business Association (SBA), they recently designed and created the large signs located at strategic locations in the community asking residents to support members of the SBA by shopping local.
Enjoy a few photos from the memory banks of Stittsville Glass & Signs:
Beyond the normal work of screen repairs and glass replacement, the business has diversified into other areas such as glass shower enclosures and mirrors; with the Sign Division offering vehicle wraps, lettering, large format printing, dimensional letter signs, LED signs, trade show displays, banners, magnetic signs, fascia and sign boxes, sidewalk signs, as well as adding your logo and lettering to T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and so much more.
The last few years have not all been rosy however. Luke and Nancy faced a health crisis in 2014 when Nancy was devastatingly diagnosed with non-smokers lung cancer. The community of friends (particularly Marion Gullock), local retailers and contractors rallied around the couple to assist in every way they could and continue to do so. Through this support, Nancy is able to live her life to the fullest — and she certainly is!
When it became evident that daily work routines would change when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, SG&S had to quickly alter the manner in which to deliver their services to their customer’s home and for those entering their shop. Plexiglass barriers can be found in their shop and customers are asked to physically distance themselves from one another. All surfaces are disinfected such as the payment terminal, door handles, washroom after each use and any other relevant touch points. When visiting a customer’s home, staff wear a mask and sanitize their hands before entering and after departing. They also physical distance themselves in the customer’s home as much as is possible.
Nancy remarked, “At first we experienced a slowdown, but with the health measures introduced, the workload has picked up greatly. The staff are now busy creating plexiglass barriers, floor decals and COVID signage for local businesses such as Bradley’s Insurance, Warmstone Dentistry, Goldie Gharmari’s constituency office and Scissors Hair Salon to name a few.” Of course, screen repairs, fogged or broken window seals have also kept them busy this Spring and the season of sign creation is picking up.
Just this week, the team completed a major job for Tomlinson Construction. They successfully designed and placed plexiglass barriers between the driver and passenger in the company’s waste management vehicles. The barriers are clear so communication can still take place between occupants. See the photos below of this achievement! With this amazing feat, other waste management companies should take note.
Below are photos inside the truck cab in which the plexiglass barriers were installed.
It comes as no surprise, that recently a customer dropped off a flowering plant for Luke and Nancy. She felt the couple were going through a lot to run their business during the pandemic and knowing Nancy is living with cancer, the customer wanted to show that she cared for them.
This gift pretty much sums up how the community feels towards Luke and Nancy — we care! From that first day in May 2000, SG&S, Luke and Nancy have been indispensable in the Stittsville community. We virtually Congratulate you on your milestone and look forward to twenty more years of success!