Whittemore-Durgin, Inc.

What Whittemore-Durgin, Inc. does

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned stained glass supply retailer founded in 1926 in Quincy, Massachusetts and currently operating from a single 13,000-square-foot facility in Rockland, Massachusetts since 1971. The company sells a comprehensive catalog of stained glass craft supplies — including proprietary in-house extruded lead came (20+ profiles), art glass from Spectrum, Wissmach, and Youghiogheny, tools, chemicals, patterns (180+ full-sized and 172 lampshade designs), kits, lampshade-making systems, and adjacent craft categories (mosaics, fusing, etching). It manufactures its own 99% pure lead came on-site and offers a proprietary Lampshade Construction System that enables hobbyists to build over 125 lampshade designs. Revenue is generated through direct-to-consumer channels: a physical storefront, e-commerce website (whittemoredurgin.com), phone, fax, and mail orders, supplemented by educational classes (8-week beginner courses at $250, 4-week instructed open studio at $100, $10/hour studio rentals), custom stained glass design/repair services, and gift certificates. The company is co-owned by Kevin and Kathy Hepburn (third-generation family operators) with a staff of approximately 12-15 named individuals including glass cutters, instructors, and order fulfillment. The customer base spans individual hobbyists from beginners to master craftspeople, retail resellers (gift shops, boutiques), and homeowners seeking custom architectural glass, with international orders accepted globally.

Name

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc.

Legal name

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc.

Website

https://whittemoredurgin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc. is a family-owned, Rockland, Massachusetts-based retailer and e-commerce company selling stained glass supplies, tools, patterns, and kits, manufacturing its own proprietary lead came, and offering classes and custom studio services to hobbyists and craftspeople since 1965.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts, Crafts and Hobby Supplies

NAICS

Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231)

akta.pro primary industry

Decorative, Patterned & Privacy Glass (Frosted/Textured/Colored) (IMADAHAG)

Keywords

• Stained glass supplies
• Art glass materials
• Stained glass classes
• Custom stained glass
• Craft and hobby tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Core revenue from selling stained glass supplies including glass (Spectrum, Wissmach, Youghiogheny brands), tools, solder, lead came, copper foil, chemicals, patterns, books, kits, jewelry findings, and accessories. Products sold via e-commerce, phone, fax, mail, and in-store. One-time purchase model for most items.
2. Education and Classes: Revenue from teaching stained glass classes including 8-week beginner courses ($250), 4-week instructed open studio sessions ($100), and independent studio table rentals ($10/hour). Provides customer education and drives product sales.
3. Custom Studio Services: Revenue from custom stained glass design, creation, and repair services for windows, sidelights, transoms, lampshades, and kitchen cabinet panels. Uses traditional lead came method and copper foil technique. Also offers sandblasting services.
4. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in denominations of $25, $50, $100, and $200, redeemable online or in-store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc. is a specialty retailer of stained glass and art glass supplies, offering glass from manufacturers such as Spectrum, Wissmach, and Youghiogheny, along with tools, lead came, lampshade construction systems, and starter kits. The company supplements product sales with hands-on stained glass classes and a custom stained glass studio that builds commissioned pieces for customers.

Product overview

Whittemore-Durgin, Inc. operates as a single-location retail and e-commerce business offering a comprehensive stained glass craft supplies portfolio. The core offering centers on stained glass supplies including art glass from Spectrum, Wissmach, and Youghiogheny, proprietary in-house manufactured lead came (over 20 profiles), metals (solder, zinc, copper foil, brass), tools (cutters, grinders, saws, soldering irons), chemicals, and consumables. The portfolio extends to pre-formed elements (bevels, jewels, medallions, nuggets), patterns for windows/panels/suncatchers, and project kits including kaleidoscopes, clocks, and beginner kits. Adjacent offerings include mosaics supplies, glass fusing materials (Fuseworks kilns), etching/engraving supplies, jewelry findings, and lampshade components. The business complements its product sales with custom stained glass studio services (repair, design, installation) and instructor-led educational classes (8-week beginner courses, 4-week open studio sessions). Additional revenue streams include gift certificates and a clearance section. The company maintains a unique multi-category catalog structure serving hobbyists from beginner to master craftsman levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stained glass and art glass supplies Catalog of art glass and stained glass materials from manufacturers such as Spectrum, Wissmach, and Youghiogheny, sold to hobbyists and professional stained glass artists.
• Stained glass tools and accessories Specialized tools and accessories used in stained glass cutting, soldering, and assembly, sold to hobbyists and professional artists.
• Whittemore-Durgin lead came Proprietary lead came product carrying the Whittemore-Durgin brand, used to join pieces of stained glass in traditional construction.
• Whittemore-Durgin Lampshade Construction System Proprietary branded system for constructing stained glass lampshades, sold to hobbyists and advanced crafters.
• Stained Glass Starter Kit Bundled starter kit containing the basic materials and tools needed to begin a stained glass project, targeted at beginners and hobbyists.
• Stained glass instructional classes Hands-on classes teaching stained glass techniques, offered to hobbyists and aspiring artists who purchase supplies from the company.
• Custom stained glass studio commissions Custom stained glass design and fabrication service through the company studio, producing bespoke stained glass pieces for individual and organizational customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served hundreds of thousands of stained glass hobbyists since 1965
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Others

• Wissmach Glass: Art glass manufacturer supplying stained glass to Whittemore-Durgin and other hobby retailers. Supplier ecosystem peer rather than competitor.
• Bullseye Glass Co. Glass manufacturer focused on fusing and kiln-formed glass. Adjacent category player that supplies Whittemore-Durgin's fusing category and competes for the broader glass-art hobbyist wallet.
• Spectrum Glass: Art glass manufacturer that is one of Whittemore-Durgin's key third-party suppliers. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but its brand drives traffic to WD's store.

Broad incumbents

• Hobby Lobby: Large national craft retail chain with a stained glass supplies category. Competes indirectly by offering hobbyist craft materials at scale alongside many other craft categories.
• JOANN: Major U.S. fabric and craft retailer carrying stained glass supplies within a broader craft assortment. Indirect competitor through hobbyist channel overlap.

Direct peers

• Sundance Art Glass: Stained glass retailer offering supplies, tools, kilns, and classes. Overlaps significantly with Whittemore-Durgin's product catalog and education offerings.
• Stained Glass Express: Retailer of stained glass materials, tools, and patterns aimed at hobbyists. Comparable assortment and D2C model to Whittemore-Durgin.
• Delphi Glass: One of the largest U.S. retailers of stained glass supplies, tools, and patterns serving hobbyists and professionals. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Whittemore-Durgin in mail-order/e-commerce stained glass craft supplies.
• Glasshopper Stained Glass: Online retailer specializing in stained glass supplies, tools, and patterns. Directly competes with Whittemore-Durgin for the same hobbyist and craftsperson customer base via e-commerce.
• Anything Stained Glass: Stained glass supplies retailer serving hobbyists with tools, glass, patterns, and accessories. Directly comparable in product mix and customer segment to Whittemore-Durgin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WhittemoreD
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Rockland-MA/Whittemore-Durgin-Glass-Co/146769290036
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whittemore-durgin-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whittemore-Durgin, Inc.