Chris Phillips

Chris Phillips has deep roots in the glass and glazing industry. His family featured some glaziers (including his dad) and Chris followed their path into the industry. First Chris completed his apprenticeship in Las Vegas in the early 90’s and worked on many of the landmark buildings there including Caesars Palace, The Mirage, The Rio, the Luxor and more. He then started Showcase Shower Door Co. in Santa Cruz, California in 2005. He has personally installed more than one thousand shower installations in his career with that number being added to daily. Opinions expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the National Glass Association or Glass Magazine.

See You at GlassBuild America 2022!

GlassBuild America is approaching again. It's an opportunity to get the latest updates on industry trends, new tech, education, and generally join in a celebration of the glass industry in all its glory.

Rising Glass Costs…Are They a Bad Thing?

Unless you have been completely off the grid for the past month or so, you are painfully aware of the recent increases in the cost of glass. Everyone finds it stressful, but it may also provide an opportunity to reconsider pricing structures and specializing your business.

Closing the Shower Door Deal Onsite

An interesting topic that has come up in the Shower Door Professionals Group recently is being able to close at the time of the final measurement. The idea was introduced in a recent conversation, and it was surprising the amount of energy it gave to our discussion.

Do You Want to Grow Your Glass Company?

Of all the many things we discuss each week on the Shower Door Professionals live-stream, the topic of how to grow a glass business is probably the most popular. The first question to ask is whether you want to grow your business.

Creating Long-term Customer Relationships in the Glass Business

If you are marketing to homeowners, you know that you may end up with just a single sale when all is said and done. Whether it’s a window project, a shower enclosure, a mirror job, or a glass railing―chances are it may be the only time you will ever do business with that particular customer. Still…

Creating a Warranty Statement that Covers the Bases

The recent conversation around the shower door community has been about warranties. Providing customers with information about which things are covered under a warranty and which things are not is obviously important. Some shops don’t bother to provide a written warranty, but many do. My tendency…

Leveraging Social Media to Maintain Relevance

Whether you love social media or not, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and others are definitely here to stay. It’s true these sites can be time-wasters, but they can also provide opportunities for reaching a broader audience and even gaining more customers.

Analog Tools in a Digital World

As the world becomes increasingly digital, we may be tempted to ask if there is still a place for analog systems and tools in our daily work routines. There are many areas where the question comes into play, but for now let’s focus on measuring and layout.

The Danger of Playing it Safe

The fact that professional people need to be willing to risk failure in order to move forward is a no-brainer. But trying new things is uncomfortable and may seem unnecessary when things are already going well.

Specialization and its Benefits as a Glass Contractor

Like a lot of shop owners, I have tried providing just about every type of product and service available. There is no doubt it is a good thing to be well-rounded as glazing service provider. But if you are doing the same types of projects as other shops in your area, you are likely going to have to…

Imagine the Glass Industry Employee of the Future

As we all know, many have been forced to stay home over the past year due to government mandates and fears of spreading disease. The crisis has continued long enough to result in a change in the work habits of many. The combination of subsidies and psychological paralysis has led to many choosing…

The Inspiration Created by Collaboration

I started out as an apprentice in Las Vegas, during the mid-80s. The various journeyman glaziers I worked with had different ideas about how much they wanted to contribute to my education, and it soon became obvious that some were happy to teach me about the craft, while others saw a new…

Pushing the Boundaries of Glass

The part of project consultations that I enjoy most is meeting people. I also love the challenge of seeing the project through their eyes, and then helping them to develop it. There is an opportunity to make their idea a reality, and as an innovator, that appeals to me.

More Innovation for the Glass Industry

Inside the Install: Solo Hinged Tub Screen

Inside the Install provides installation tips, helpful how-tos and in-the-field demonstrations from a range of projects. To contribute or provide feedback, write to Editor-in-Chief Katy Devlin at kdevlin@glass.org.

The Integrity of Estimates – What is Fair?

Every contractor knows how difficult it is to find the right formula for calculating estimates. In fact, many will say it’s the single most difficult part of being a glass shop owner. As I gained experience in bidding projects, I came to realize that I was looking at it all wrong.

Re-evaluating Relationships in a Rapidly Changing World

The recent developments in the world have forced most of us to rethink many of our habits and processes. We are re-evaluating the way we do almost everything. This has been dramatic across the board, and we can all relate to the stress something like this can cause. That being said, I want to look…

Bringing Calm to Customers during COVID-19, from Chris Phillips

Glass installers who are working in customers’ homes during the coronavirus outbreak have an opportunity to bring a sense of calm through professionalism and quality workmanship, says Chris Phillips of Showcase Shower Door.

How Much Metal is Too Much When It Comes to Shower Enclosures?

In the shower door business, we are constantly pushing the limits of what can be accomplished using less hardware, channel, and fasteners. Of course, we have to draw the line at what is safe. Read on for product examples that are pushing the envelope of materials, structure and style.

The Great Debate – Framed or Frameless Showers

Within the shower enclosure world there is a constant debate on what is truly a frameless enclosure. It’s interesting that industry professionals would have different opinions about what is and isn’t frameless.