A Local Family Legacy
As one of the longest running and largest family-owned glass companies in the greater Midlands, Ace Glass has evolved along with the growth of this unique industry. With three generations of the Price family investing in this business, the past and present owners are understandably proud of their company’s reputation, and they hope it will continue to serve the local community indefinitely.
The Price families’ roots in the glass business began to germinate near the end of the Great Depression, when the “original” Fred Price, a transplant from Lucknow, South Carolina, was hired by a local glass company in Columbia. The glass business was a burgeoning industry at the time, and although good jobs were scarce, Fred’s strong, traditional work ethic firmly secured his place as an apprentice in that company.
After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Fred returned to the glass business once he was discharged. By 1958, he had married, fathered his firstborn (Fred, Jr.), and become a co-owner of the Blyco Glass Company in the Columbia area. Eight years later, Fred, Sr., continued to work in the industry as a sole proprietor when he founded Ace Glass. From then on, he focused on growing a strong enterprise that would be operated, expanded, and sustained by his own family.
A visionary, Fred, Sr., understood that glass is a staple commodity, known for its practicality, fragility, and beauty. Initially, his company provided customary services like repairing car windshields and house windows, but he soon branched out into creating custom products like mirrors, replacing shower doors, and installing commercial and residential glass. He even implemented another brilliant strategy: offering 24-hour emergency glass replacement services. Over time, the local police force began to recognize Fred, Sr., for his dependability and diligence and (unofficially) referred Ace Glass to business owners in dire situations involving broken glass.
As a child, Fred, Jr., would join his father on midnight runs to replace store windows or board them up after a break-in or mishap. “From a young boy,” he recalled, “I decided I wanted to follow my father into his business. He started the business when I was 10 years old, and I just decided that’s what I wanted to do. I always had aspirations of taking over the company, and that’s what I did, pretty early, and was very proud of it.”
Officially, Fred, Jr., who is now a “semi-retired,” co-owner of Ace Glass, became a part-time staff member of the company at age 14. Although he briefly considered joining the Air Force after completing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Citadel in 1975, he ultimately returned home to work with his father.
Fred, Jr., said his dad was very “hands on” in the company, since he grew his business from the ground up, and was responsible for every aspect of the operations, including keeping the books. By the time he came on board, the enterprise was fully staffed, but he was able to gain valuable firsthand experience of the company’s complex operations. Although his father was still available to occasionally offer him assistance, Fred, Jr., eventually purchased the company from him in 1983.
When Fred, Jr., and his wife Phyllis had two children of their own, he said, “It was my prayer,” that they would one day work alongside him in the business. Thus, they grew up helping around the shop, and his hope was realized when Fred, III (known as “Trey”), joined Ace Glass in 2002 after receiving a degree in economics from Hampton-Sydney College in Virginia. Phyllis began to take on a more active role in the company, and when daughter Lauren obtained a degree in marketing at the University of Alabama in 2006, she also returned to the business—to complete the family circle.
Over the years, the glass-industry legacy of the Price family has expanded exponentially. In addition to their original store, located on Two Notch Road, they opened two branches in Lexington and Irmo, which were existing businesses that Fred, Jr., acquired and grafted into the Ace Glass fold. Around 2010, Fred, Jr., learned from a sales representative that the owner of Blyco was selling, so he immediately drove there and worked out a deal. “I wanted to buy it for the family,” he said. “Plus, the other reason I wanted to buy it was that my daddy had owned a part of it, and I wanted to get it back to keep it in the family.” About six years ago, Fred, Jr., was also able to buy another company, Palmetto Glass and Mirror, in Charleston, South Carolina.
Currently, son Trey, a Lexington resident, divides his time between Ace and the Blyco Glass Company, which primarily provides commercial services. According to Trey, “We did the new Icehouse Amphitheater building in downtown Lexington.” Lauren added, “I have just followed in my dad’s footsteps and taken over running our three main stores: Columbia, Lexington, and Irmo. I deal with managing everybody. If there are any issues, they come to me. I deal with accounting, billing, and day-to-day customer service.” In addition to the local stores, she also oversees operations of Palmetto Glass in the Lowcountry.
Through this trio of companies, the family shares their industry expertise with the greater Midlands area and beyond. Because their services are comprehensive, they are prepared for every glass-related contingency, including vehicle windshield repairs, custom-cut mirrors and tabletops, shower door installations, household window replacements, and commercial property storefront construction.
Depending on the workload, “Our turnaround time is better than most of our competitors because we fabricate our glass products in house rather than having to outsource them from a wholesaler,” Lauren explained. “We’re family, and we care. It’s our family name, and we want to make sure customers are happy.”
“We’re locally owned,” added Fred, Jr., so “if there’s a problem, you can come and see any of us, and we’ll take care of it. We’re all proud of the company name. I take it very personally, so we strive for the utmost customer service and really take care of people. Do the right thing, no matter what—my daddy taught me that a long time ago.”
With five up-and-coming grandchildren, the potential for successfully continuing the family business legacy seems very likely. “Our oldest, Hampton, was here last week, shadowing me,” Trey said. “I think he has a little bit of interest.”
“My daughter, her favorite thing would be to come here, grab the phone, and call the customers to tell them that their glass was ready,” added Lauren about her oldest, Addison, “so I definitely think between the five children, somebody, hopefully, will want to keep it going.” Until then, Fred, Jr., hopes to fully retire and, with his pilot’s license, intends to literally fly into the sunset, leaving the company in the capable hands of his skilled and knowledgeable descendants.
5506 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC
(803) 754-2911
4661 Augusta Road
Lexington, SC
(803) 356-3505
7538 Woodrow Street
Irmo, SC
(803) 732-1384