BUILDING A LEGACY

Beers Millwork brings expert advice and craftsmanship to the building and renovation market

by ROBIN HOWARD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

ALAN BEERS has come to the right place. At a time when many are reevaluating what’s important in life, Beers and his wife, Amanda, decided they wanted to raise their two young boys in a more family-oriented community and start a business that would showcase Alan’s expertise and passion, and serve as a legacy for their sons as they grow. They moved from South Florida to Mount Pleasant and opened their business, Beers Millwork, in June 2020.

While it might seem a little bonkers to start a new business in the middle of a pandemic, Beers’ expertise and ability to adapt quickly to the new realities of virtual collaboration have already served him well. He’s been busy, and with skills needed in the local market and values that fit Charleston’s sensibilities, he’ll likely stay that way.

Beers Millwork supplies custom doors, hardware, moldings and millwork to builders and designers. Beers can re-create anything—whether it’s a new door or molding to match original elements in a historic home or renovation. “We have such rich traditions and architecture here. Anytime we can re-create and retell a story that started 100 or more years ago, it’s always gratifying,” he says.

.While there is a niche in Charleston’s building market for an interior-specific supplier, Beers brings something more. “Alan truly loves the art of millwork. No matter where we go or what we are doing, you can always see the wheels spinning,” Amanda Beers says. “He’s constantly taking pictures of things he sees when we are out and about, always looking for inspiration and ideas to later harness into a project.” She adds that Beers Millwork is out to change the market by exposing the local builders, designers and architects to other vendors who have higher-quality materials, providing the custom feel closer to a commodity price.

Beers has a deeply ingrained value system that informs everything he does. “Whether we end up working together or not, I like getting to know people,” he says. “I want to know about their upbringings, their values, their families.”

He also believes in honesty and integrity. “Anytime you can be honest with someone, you develop a sense of comfort and deepen your rapport,” Beers says. These are values he’s passing to his sons. “I’m teaching them to be forthcoming with people, about how important it is to build genuine relationships and about how important it is to work as a team.”

What strikes me most about Beers is that the idea of a “problem” doesn’t compute for him. Sure, he knows problems exist, but his number one rule is to fix issues before they become problems. For instance, Beers Millworks supplies the hardware that goes with the doors because Beers found that it virtually eliminates mistakes and miscommunication.

If a problem can’t be eliminated before it’s an issue, then to Beers it’s just a challenge. “I don’t like to say no,” he says. “If a client has a picture of millwork they’ve seen in a magazine, most suppliers would just say no if it wasn’t easily accessible.” Beers says yes, gets out his pencil and paper, and starts drawing. If he gets stuck, he starts calling other experts in the field to collaborate. He believes in creating a partnership with the installer—he supplies the materials and their talented craftsmanship makes the product show well.

Beers sincerely loves a good challenge, a pleasant personality trait that will be a boon to Charleston’s builders and designers. Give Beers a problem, and he’s going to solve it and with great pleasure. *

Robin Howard is a full-time freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.

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