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Awnings by Design6713 Bicentennial PlaceBaton Rouge, LA 70805 (225) 355-5530 www.ABDawnings.com
Awnings by Design, Not Chance
From commercial to residential, canvas to retractables, Randy does it all. His specialties include patio covers and commercial backlit signs, as well as door and window awnings. He's done beautiful awning work for local restaurants such as Papacito's, Casa Maria, Mansur's on the Boulevard, and Sicily's. As part of Baton Rouge's downtown renovation process, Randy created block-long awnings for the Farmer's Market and the YMCA, as well as a covered canopy for Bank One Recently, Randy transformed the Frostop restaurant on Government Street. "That building has been around since the fifties," he says. "It finally needed a makeover,"
Customers know Randy on a first-name basis. "By the end of the transaction, we're friends," he says with a little grin. "We offer the personalized service of a Ma-and-Pa store, versus the superstores. We treat you as a person, not a prospect." And, adds Randy, "We put in a little extra. A little more bracing in the frame, a little extra time and effort in making the material stronger. We want to get it right the first time, because we don't have time to do it twice."
Randy explains that many homeowners have heat problems with their kitchen window. "They want to cook dinner, but it's too hot in the kitchen. An awning can make it bearable and also pay for itself. If you pay $199 for that awning, your energy savings will return the investment within a year."
A popular commercial application for awnings is the "backlit" sign. "They're popular because you get more bang for the buck," Randy says. "A four-by-eight sign on a building might run you three grand. For the same money you can buy a 30-foot awning, four foot tall, with beautiful lighting and artwork. So you're getting not only an awning but a lot more signage for the money." In addition to providing terrific, price effective advertising, backlit awnings also light up buildings at night, providing extra security. "The light shines through the front of the awning, and it also shines down, underneath it." Randy was born and raised in Baton Rouge. For thirteen years preceding his awning business, Randy worked at a Honda dealership. "They taught you customer service," he says in a reflective tone. "An unhappy customer will tell ten people, but a happy customer will only tell three. Everyone at Honda learns to go that extra little mile to ensure customer satisfaction." The heart of Randy's business is his large on-premises facility where awnings are created from scratch. "You don't want to take an awning out of a box and hope it fits. We don't have anything sitting on a shelf. When you purchase an awning here, we go out to your home and measure everything to make sure that awning fits. Everything is custom-made right here in our facility in Baton Rouge. All the materials we use are made in America." Find out more about Awnings by Design at www.ABDawnings.com. Reach Randy by phone at (225) 355-5530.
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"We're not trying to be the biggest, just the best," says Randy Story, owner of Awnings by Design. An eleven-year veteran of the awning field, Randy has designed and built awnings for famed establishments as well as countless residences.
Whether working for commercial or residential clients, Randy remains in constant communication and control. "I'm hands-on through the entire process, from the time that you purchase the awning to the time it's installed. You'll see me on the jobsite throughout the entire project. If there's a problem, you're dealing with me, the owner, and no one else."
Not only does an awning enhance the appearance of a house, the energy savings it creates can be significant. According to the Consumer Energy Center, a properly installed awning can reduce heat gain in your home by up to 65% in southern windows, and as much as 77 % in eastern and western windows. "That translates to as much as a 15 degree difference inside the house during the summer," says Randy. "That significantly lowers the price of your air conditioning, which is about half your utility bill."
Businesses have the same heat problems as residences and can also save big money on energy bills through awnings. "You can also buy awnings strictly for décor," Randy says, offering Sicily's restaurant as an example.
