Jacksonville Glass Firm Reaches 100-Year Milestone in 2026

Founded in 1926, a Jacksonville Glass Company Reaches Its Centennial Under Fourth-Generation Leadership

Jacksonville, United States – May 14, 2026 / Lee & Cates Glass /

JACKSONVILLE, FL – May 2026 – Lee & Cates Glass, a established glass company Jacksonville residents and businesses have relied on for generations, is marking a significant milestone: its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1926 by Thomas D. Lee Sr. and Raymond H. Cates, the company began as a single auto glass shop and has since grown into a regional authority in residential and commercial glass services, operating 9 locations across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Through every decade of growth, the company has remained under the guidance of the same Lee family that founded it.

The company is currently led by Thomas Lee IV, President and fourth-generation member of the Lee family, whose great-grandfather established the foundation for what has become a century-long legacy of craftsmanship, community, and trust.

“One hundred years is a milestone that very few local, family-owned businesses ever reach,” said Thomas Lee IV, President of Lee & Cates Glass. “My great-grandfather started this company with a handshake and a commitment to doing right by the customer. Four generations later, that’s still exactly how we operate. We’re not a franchise, we’re not a national chain – we’re your neighbors, and we take that seriously.”

A Century of Craftsmanship and Community

Over the past 100 years, Lee & Cates Glass has expanded well beyond its auto glass origins. The company now serves as the region’s primary resource for glass repair and glass replacement, handling everything from broken windows and sliding glass doors to storefront glazing and new construction projects. Residential customers turn to Lee & Cates Glass for mirrors, decorative glass, and custom shower enclosures – an offering that has grown into one of the company’s most requested services among homeowners renovating their bathrooms.

The presence of 9 locations across the region reflects both the sustained demand for professional glass services and the trust that Lee & Cates Glass has built as a locally owned and operated business throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. With approximately 200 skilled technicians and glass professionals on staff, the company delivers the responsiveness of a family business alongside the capacity of a regional provider.

The Greatness Guarantee

A defining element of Lee & Cates Glass’s centennial identity is its Greatness Guarantee – a commitment to 100% customer satisfaction supported by a lifetime warranty on products and workmanship. Whether a customer requires an emergency glass repair, a complete glass replacement, or a custom shower enclosure, every project is backed by the same promise that has guided the company for 100 years.

“When my family puts our name on a job, we stand behind it – for life,” said Thomas Lee IV. “That’s not a marketing slogan. That’s four generations of Lee family accountability. Every technician who walks into your home or business represents 100 years of that commitment.”

“We’ve been part of this community for 100 years,” said Thomas Lee IV. “We plan to be here for the next 100. That’s what it means to be a local, family-owned business – you’re not just building a company, you’re building something that lasts.”

For more information about Lee & Cates Glass, its centennial celebration, or its full range of glass repair, glass replacement, and custom shower enclosure services, learn more at leeandcatesglass.com or call (904) 354-4643.