Page 16 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - April 2017

| intheNEws
Stay Connected to Breaking News
Online at www.enLIGHTenmentmag.com

maiN: The Makers Building in Spring eld, Ohio

iNsEt: One of the custom lighting xtures by
Doug Frates Glass.

The husband-and-wife teams behind Doug
Frates Glass and Velorossa Design take a break
outside of the Makers Building, where both

factories now reside.

Doug Frates Glass

Expands Operations

“Big things are happening in The addition of four new annealing synergy that exists between Velorossa’s

li le Spring eld, Ohio,” say ovens will allow for the production of wide range of hand-produced lighting

the husband-and-wife team
large, custom pieces that o en take hardware — which o en incorporates
of Doug and Heidi Frates who are considerably more time to produce.
found objects — and the handblown

expanding their business to meet The new location — dubbed The Makers art glass from the Frates. The two
customer demand. Doug Frates Glass Building — will also serve as an incubator companies have collaborated before

began in a 3,000-sq.- . building in for other artists and their businesses. on lighting xtures, but now their close

downtown Spring eld that the couple The 16,000-sq.- . building, located at proximity will allow both manufacturers
rented back in 2002. Over the past 402 East Street, is expected to provide to be more nimble and e cient in

15 years they grew their custom art room for up to four additional artists, all delivering custom lighting solutions to
glass business, adding equipment and of whom have national representation.
commercial and residential clients.

personnel while broadening the line.
One of these neighboring rms is “What sets us apart [from competing

The easy path would have been to Velorossa Design, a Portland-based glass blowers] is our pa erning and
simply rent a larger studio, but these two custom manufacturer of lighting xtures use of color,” explains Doug Frates.

Armed Forces veterans thought bigger, owned by Mandie and Nate Fleming, “Everything we do is custom and unique.
buying a 100-year-old building that who have worked with Doug Frates The new studio will not only provide

formerly housed a metal fabrication shop.
Glass for several years. Limitations on more space, but more equipment and

This new location quadruples the space plus the high cost of living led a vastly improved work ow which will
space for their glass studio, making it the Flemings to recently relocate their provide for innovation, creativity, and

the largest independently owned glass operations to Spring eld. An added the exploration of new avenues in glass
studio in the Eastern United States.
bene t for both companies is the
design and production.”

14 enLIGHTenment Magazine | april 2017
www.enlightenmentmag.com