Adorned with displays of low-E, energy-efficient and impact-resistant glass, NewSouth Window Solutions’ new Atlanta showroom is a breath of fresh air for customers looking for a streamlined factory-direct purchasing experience.

The showroom officially opened to the public on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was attended by an assortment of representatives, including Amy and Earl Rahn, presidents of NewSouth, and Jeffrey Jackson, president and CEO of PGT Innovations, which acquired NewSouth in 2020.

“We’re very excited,” says Earl. “We’ve done this for a long time. This is my 32nd year in the window business, and I am honored to be able to stand here with what we have been able to accomplish as a team and a family.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at NewSouth Window Solutions’ new Atlanta showroom on Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

NewSouth’s factory-direct experience allows customers to be able to see, feel and operate full-sized windows and doors at the 4,500-square-foot showroom in Duluth. The showroom features an array of NewSouth window and door products, including single hung, double hung, horizontal slider and picture windows, as well as sliding glass patio doors and entry doors.

Additionally, customers will directly work with a NewSouth representative throughout the entire process, have their products installed by a NewSouth team and be protected with a lifetime warranty.

According to Jackson, this experience is why PGT Innovations acquired NewSouth.

“The idea is simple,” says Jackson. “PGT Innovations was a dealer, distributor-based model. When NewSouth became available, that was our avenue to get into the retail business. We manufacture the products, sell the product and install the product. Cradle to cradle. It’s just an easier model to do business with.”

The goal is to allow customers to cut out the middleman and receive products directly from the manufacturer, adds Jackson. This saves time and money, which is important in this day and age of immediacy.

The move to the Atlanta market, which will be the flagship for NewSouth, was a no-brainer. The population continues to boom as the city becomes one of the fastest-growing, high-tech urban centers in the nation.

“Atlanta is a fast-growing market,” says Jackson. “It made sense. Why not put a NewSouth store here? On the retail side, people are buying homes. They eventually replace windows. Windows only last 10-15 years. So, people will replace, upgrade and modify. It also helps that Atlanta’s population is growing and, financially, it’s a stable market.”

NewSouth storefronts will continue to expand throughout the south with many more expected to open in the coming months and years. Jackson adds that when PGT Innovations bought NewSouth in 2020, the company had $70 million in sales. Now, NewSouth is chasing $200 million with plans to expand in the northeast and out west.

As NewSouth expands, the company will further focus on impact-resistant and security windows, photovoltaic window technology along with larger windows with thinner profiles.

“All of our technology and all of our innovation is surrounded by thinner profiles,” says Jackson. “That is where all of our research and development is centered around now. Also, on the film that is on that glass. The tints. How do you make it where it can capture energy or electricity and help power the home? It’s here, but it’s expensive. In five or 10 years it going to be part of the house.”