D-Biz: Kelly Windows finds niche with Detroit historic renovations

If you're a resident of Indian Village, Corktown or Hubbard Farms, it's likely that your home or a neighboring one sports wood windows made right here in the D by Kelly Window & Door Manufacturing.

Sean Kelly runs the business with his father, who founded it in 1981. "He saw a market for custom-sized, custom-color, aluminum-clad wood windows," says Sean, who explains that the shop's smaller size gives it the dexterity needed to retool for each and every window it manufactures.

Kelly Window employs 12, most of whom are involved in the manufacturing process. The company produces from 100 to 125 windows a week, with about 40 percent staying in Detroit and the rest being installed throughout Southeast Michigan.

Sean Kelly says that although most of their jobs are small residential ones, the company takes each and every window personally. "We pride ourselves on being able to match exactly what's there, and in historic districts that is very important," he says. "Other companies can't or won't do that because it costs too much to retool everything, but we can do that and we take pride in doing that."

What keeps the company busy these days is historic homes. "In historic areas, people are always willing to do repairs and upgrades that are needed regardless of the economy," says Sean Kelly. He estimates 50 percent of their windows this year are for historic projects, while in a typical year that number is closer to 20 percent. "The historic stuff is fantastic, and it's really what we love to do."

Kelly Window is located at 15000 Linwood. Call 313-861-6910.

Source: Sean Kelly, Kelly Window & Door Manufacturing
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh