Home improvement season is upon us, and just in time, according to the owners of Champion Window as it prepares to open near Ann Arbor.

Champion is a factory direct window and siding company with 80 locations nationwide. The newest location, a satellite of the Toledo, Ohio, showroom, will be located at 4072 Packard in Ann Arbor in the space that used to be occupied by Hollywood Video.

“Ann Arbor has been good for us,"says the newly appointed store manager, Tom Canham. "There is a need for this location.”

Canham estimates that 20 - 25 percent of Champion Toledo’s business has been from the Ann Arbor area. He has worked in the Toledo office for 8 years, and is pleased to oversee the Ann Arbor store.

Champion is currently hiring 3-4 factory representatives, and one showroom rep. Canham has hopes to hire an installation team as well once the office is established.

The satellite office in Ann Arbor will have roughly 1,700-square-feet of showroom space, and is ready for its opening date, March 16.

Store hours: M-Th 9am-8pm F-S 9am-5pm Sun 11am-5pm

Angie Smith writes about retail and business happenings for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached via email at angieannarbor@gmail.com