Rep will maintain Salisbury telephone for Binswanger Glass

John Goble, who works as an outside sales representative for the company, said the eight or so employees of the Salisbury store have been offered positions at the North Tryon Street shop in Charlotte. He said most of them have decided to make the commute, but he will continue to work from here.

He said another group of employees left in February to start their own glass business, but he's going to maintain the relationship with customers in town as he's done for 25 years.

"It's been a wild career," he said. "From working on a gorilla cage at the zoo to a $2 million project in a building in Charlotte. I started out sweeping the floor in 1980, then I cut glass and had an apprenticeship for 21/2 to 3 years."

When he finally got the chance, Goble moved into sales with Pritchard Glass and has stayed with it. He said Binswanger bought out the business about four years ago.

"Construction work is not for everyone, but glass is skilled labor, like an electrician," he said. "It's a nice job to have. People break glass often, and we fix up their messes. Our goal is to make it look like it never happened. ... If they're happy, it's a lot of satisfaction."

Goble was born and raised in Charlotte, so he said it's kind of ironic that the company is moving operations there and he's not going along. But he said he's got no desire to make the commute and has made Salisbury his home.