Hidden Gems: Meet Gina & Brian Richardson of Duffer Hollow Designs LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina & Brian Richardson

Hi Gina & Brian , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Duffer Hollow Designs LLC started in Jan of 2023, after taking over operations from Solar Shade USA which was owned by my (Gina) Stepfather & Mom, Mike & Beth Taranto. Brian had come down to work for SSUSA in 2012 working primarily in the shop utilizing his trade of being in the Local 2 Sheet Metal Union, to help get the shop operations more streamlined. In 2016 Brian started working in the office, learning everything & anything he could from Mike to help take the load off of him so he could start to enjoy “semi-retirement”. In Sept of 2019 I left my job in the banking industry to take over the office manager role previously held by my Mom. In Jan of 2020 Mike started to have significant health issues and became more of a consultant at that point since he was unable to come down to the office on a regular basis. When COVID hit, we applied for PPP funds and were able to keep our doors open & pay all employees without skipping a beat. By the middle of 2022 is was evident that Mike would not be ever able to return in any type of capacity. That is when DHD was formed. We wanted a new name to stand out & also to be able to offer more than just shade structures. Brian & I have a lake house at lake of the ozarks & the cove we reside in is named “Duffer Hollow”…. DHD offers permanent shade structures for both commercial as well as residential. We also offer metal fabrication services and have made several arched signs for the City of Rich Hill & the City of Nevada.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We were fortunate that when DHD started up we had a few very good customers that stuck with us through the transition giving us the work we needed to keep busy. When SSUSA was in operations, the sewing of our mesh fabrics was done by an outside vendor. Brian, with the help of our “Detailer” Randall Henderson, came up with a way for us to do all of our sewing in-house. This became a huge cost-saver for us and gives us more control over the quality of product that we put out. The biggest struggle would have to be the fluctuating markets. And now with the high tariffs having been put into place, our steel prices change weekly, sometimes daily.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Duffer Hollow Designs was established to meet the growing demand for a responsive, customer-friendly shade structure company that offers products that are technically functional, architecturally distinctive and easy to install.

We are a group of experienced individuals with diverse disciplines that apply directly to the products and services we offer.

Our team has a combined 50 years of experience in the industrial steel manufacturing industry which has taught us to understand the importance of good customer service while providing a quality product in a timely manner.

Our research into why structures did not perform guided us in developing a design approach, structural steel details, fabric selection and fabrication methods that gave us products that differentiate what we do from all other manufacturers in our industry.

What sets us apart from the other manufacturers in this same industry, is our lever of customer service. We make sure any mistake is corrected immediately & notated so it will not happen on future orders. We are unique in the fact that, not including Brian or myself, we have only 7 of the most amazing employees working at DHD. So we might be small but our service & attention to detail makes us stand out.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Growing up Brian competitively raced BMX bikes making memories to last a lifetime. And still rides his bikes to this day. His favorite being going downhill mountain biking

As for myself, I was a competitive dancer for many years growing up and was also on my schools dance team. During my Junior year of high school, we were invited to perform & march in the Citrus Bowl parade in Orlando Florida. My family & friends were able to watch us on the TV back home. That will always be a great memory for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dufferhollowdesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dufferhollowdesigns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dufferhollowdesigns