Arkansas Glass Co.
Innovation experts for 72 years
Arkansas Glass Co. is celebrating its 72nd year of serving customers in Arkansas. They have experienced “constant change” and have been innovation experts for these 72 years. They know glass, doors, and hardware. Let them solve your problems.
From plate glass, to various types of safety glass, to specialty glass and mirrors.
From energy efficient single pane glass to energy saving multi-layer insulated glass units.
From clear insulated glass units to tinted multi Low E layered insulated glass. From wooden windows, to steel, to aluminum, to clad, to vinyl windows.
From wooden storefront and curtain wall to steel to aluminum. From wooden doors to steel to aluminum doors.
In late 1945, after a number of learning and developing years with PPG in Memphis, Lawrence Meyers and his wife Selma moved their family and large truck to Hot Springs. They had leased an old service station at 1324 Central Ave. to headquarter Arkansas Glass Co. After servicing customers while renovating their building during the winter months, they took out a half-page ad in The Sentinel-Record officially announcing their new business in early 1946.
Lawrence’s technical and legal education and training served the company well. Although glass was a scarce commodity after World War II, he found valuable quantities of plate glass, including a full railroad boxcar, that fueled the growth of their business. His wife ran the office and his son, Larry, helped dad and rode with him whenever he could.
Around 1960, Selma Meyers founded Meyers Realty, also headquartered in the Arkansas Glass building. Soon after Larry returned from college, he was helping mom with the booming realty business. Not to be left behind during this change, in 1962 Lawrence sold Arkansas Glass to the Medallion Corporation and joined the realty company. Arkansas Glass joined the other ventures of Medallion, including SPA Glass Co.
In the early sixties, after being away in the military, Hot Springs native son, Gerald Murders, joined his wife, Helen, at the Medallion Corporation. Soon after, in
1965, Gerald and Helen Murders purchased Arkansas Glass and SPA Glass from Medallion. They guided their companies through numerous major changes in the glass industry and successfully completed a wide range of projects throughout Arkansas, while developing a residential service group. After satisfying a multitude of small and national customers over 34 years and wanting to pursue other interests, the Murders sold Arkansas Glass and SPA Glass to Larry and Dianne Nieman during 1999.
After more than 20 years in Dallas and after selling their portion of a prestigious consulting firm (Solomon Associates), Larry and Dianne wished to reunite their children, two sons and one daughter, their spouses and grandchildren to an area that they all enjoyed. As their children graduated from college and married in Dallas, they and their spouses had moved to distant locations in the US. Their oldest son, Larry Jr., his wife, Holly, and their two kids soon joined mom and dad at Arkansas Glass from Florida.
With the automotive glass industry rapidly changing, Larry converted SPA Glass to Glass Doctor in 2002 and sold the company to Larry Jr. and Holly. Arkansas Glass moved its headquarters to the current location,
217 Hicks Circle, during 2005 and
2006. Glass Doctor then renovated 1324 Central Ave. as its new central Arkansas headquarters. Change has been inevitable for 70 years at Arkansas Glass.
“Hopefully the first name when thinking of glass and mirror is Arkansas Glass Co. But glass is only a part of our business,” Dianne Nieman said. “Our top notch service manager, Bob Yates, is always available to help our customers, whether it involves repair work, remodels, or new construction. He is especially anxious to help customers with our growing lines of Cardinal and Agalite high quality shower enclosures. Your creative freedom is complemented with the outstanding style and practical functionality of our glass enclosures. You can even order a technologically advanced glass that prevents hard water spots, soap film, and other stains from adhering to the glass surface.”
Larry Nieman added, “The glass and door manufacturers are developing more efficient products for today’s spiraling energy costs and savvy buyers. Arkansas Glass stays on top with these changes; even some of our suppliers admit that we are the only local company that truly understands the economical applications of these new products. We work personally with customers on their small and large projects to improve window and door performance and decrease utility bills while minimizing outof-pocket expenses.”
Even their competitors shop here. They invite everyone to visit their facilities.
One of the first people that you will be greeted by is Tosha Golden, one of the friendliest people in town and she enjoys wowing all the customers, especially those who are absolutely amazed how one call to us can solve a number of nagging problems. Arkansas Glass not only provides great products and services to their customers, they find solutions to their friends’ seemingly unsolvable problems, problems that the competition avoids.
Arkansas Glass is the first and only choice for many residential customers, small and large businesses, local, state and national contractors, warranty service companies, national chain stores, and shopping malls.
“We are looking for the dollar-wise customer, not the dollar-foolish. Low cost usually means poor quality and service, and eventually customer remorse. Contrary to popular belief, all doors, windows, glass, hardware, etc. are not created equal. There is really no such thing as a standard something. The ancient adage that you get what you pay for is especially true today.”