GarageTek Franchise Overview

About GarageTek

GarageTek® is a custom garage organization and storage system that creates a neat, clean and usable space out of the garage - an often overlooked and underutilized room in the home. The GarageTek system is unlike any other product. Its distinguishing advantages start with a proprietary product called TekPanelTM. TekPanel is a thermoplastic product that traditionally has been used to organize merchandise for displays. It is revered by retailers such as JCPenney, Macy's, Saks and Lord & Taylor for its strength, light weight, consistent color and durability. The TekPanel technology, which has withstood the rigors of the retail environment, is now the backbone of the GarageTek system. Builders and homeowners value GarageTek for a myriad of reasons: it's versatile (if you change your mind, it's a snap to reconfigure the system); it's weatherproof, bugproof and fire rated; and it is backed by a lifetime warranty. With GarageTek, everything has its place in the garage because it is professionally designed and installed. Components and accessories are customized according to each family's unique needs–whether they're looking to store golf clubs, fishing gear, woodworking tools or more common household items.

Franchise History

Marc Shuman and Skip Barrett are the originators behind the GarageTek concept. While working for a leading manufacturer of store fixtures and visual merchandising equipment, Shuman, who was the president, and Barrett, who was the national sales manager, began exploring alternative uses for the company's innovative TekPanel product. In the mid-1990s, shortly after TekPanel was perfected, Shuman and Barrett were driven by the competitive business climate to look for new applications for this versatile product. While many options were considered, Shuman conceived the breakthrough idea - using TekPanel as the foundation for a garage organization system. After the planning and development stage, Shuman and Barrett were ready to tackle the next hurdle: determining whether anyone wanted to become a GarageTek franchisee. This was answered when installation by one builder led to other dealers coming forward with requests. While other companies offer organization products, none offer the same advantages as GarageTek - the pioneer that invented this new home improvement product and now leads the growing category.