Shop Talk: Ace Garage Door Company

Have you ever danced with a garage door? I have and I don’t recommend it. The dance started out innocent enough; back and forth trying to coax my stuck door into its correct position. What followed though was a week’s-long, animated, certainly entertaining for my neighbors, full on fight with a very stubborn door. And when the delicate choreography of double tapping, holding, and hard pointing the remote control ceased to work at all, I knew I had to accept defeat and call in the experts. Hollywood Door, which we’d used for years, was recently bought by Ace Garage Door Company. This kind of thing often makes me maudlin, but the attention and care that Ace put into their work made me feel hopeful for the future. I chatted with the young and ambitious CEO (and son of the founder) Ethan Michler to find out more. 

How and when did Ace begin?

Ethan: My dad, Donald Michler, worked for several door companies over the last few decades. He was frustrated with what he saw as unfair practices and decided to branch out on his own. After a failed partnership attempt, my dad knew he had to go all out on his own.

Are you truly a family business? 

Ethan: Oh yes. My dad, Donald Michler, is the owner/founder and my mother Jamie and I are co-owners. My uncles Danny and Mark work as field supervisor and commercial lead, respectively, and my grandma, Lisa McNeely, is the office assistant. To boot, the name of our company is actually an acronym for my dad’s three sons: Aiden, Connor, and Ethan (Me).

How did you choose to join the family business? 

Ethan: As a kid, I got dragged to maintenance appointments with my dad all the time, so I began understanding doors at a very young age. While attending LSU, I thought I would eventually become a doctor. But I realized, for one thing I didn’t like blood, but that I could apply my ambition to something I already knew a lot about. That made more sense. 

How has the business grown over the years? 

Ethan: After the recent influx of tornadoes in our area and Hurricane Ida, we really saw an uptick in the need for our products. Our revenue has gone up 40% in the last 2 years, and we mostly reinvest it back into the business. We are proud to have 40 residential employees that truly understand service and serve New Orleans, Laplace, Slidell, Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and more. 

Avenue: Can you give us an idea of the price ranges for garage doors? 

Ethan: Naturally, the size and material of the door will be a factor. On the low end, we have small, non-insulated doors about 8-ft wide, that start at $1150. However, the best bang for your buck is typically in a steel, insulated doors and those range between $1800-$4000. There are also fully customizable options that can go up to $10,000 or more. We had a customer draw the exact wood panel design he wanted, and we had it locally cut and put over steel.

Avenue: What are your most coveted doors right now? 

Ethan: We offer flush panel doors that create a smooth, continuous surface. Our glass and steel doors are also very popular and modern looking. Additionally, the recessed panel doors are great for a classic, refined look.

Ace Garage Door Company
504-370-9766
acegaragedoorllc.com