Our Story
The Early Years
The story of Laviolette Garage Doors began long before the company officially opened its doors in 1977.
From 1957 to 1959, Peter Laviolette Sr. served in the United States military. After returning home from the Army, he spent another four years in the active reserves before beginning his career in the trades.
While he was home in reserves, Peter joined the Boston Carpenters Union, where one particular job would eventually shape the future of his career. Through the union, he was assigned to a project in Boston installing doors at the Hood Dairy Plant. That experience introduced him to the garage door industry and sparked what would eventually become our family business.
Over the years that followed, Peter continued installing and repairing garage doors on the side while also running Art’s Grocery Store with his brother, Joe, in Franklin, MA. Art's was opened by their parents in 1958 and was on Pond Street for over two decades.
1977 — Laviolette Garage Doors Is Born
By 1977, Peter decided it was time to turn his part-time garage door work into a full-time business. Behind the scenes, Peter’s wife, Helen, played an important role in getting Laviolette Garage Doors off the ground. She handled the bookkeeping and helped Peter build the business from its early days.
From the beginning, Laviolette Garage Doors was built around hard work, reliability, and taking care of community- sometimes at all hours.
One winter night, Peter received a call from the Franklin Fire Department at 2:00 a.m. Firefighters had opened the bay door to respond to an emergency call during a storm but the door would not close again. They called Laviolette Garage Doors and Peter headed out to get it working.
That willingness to show up when customers needed him helped build Laviolette Garage Doors’ reputation throughout Franklin and the surrounding communities.
The Second Generation — Wayne Green
As the business grew, Peter began working alongside his son-in-law, Wayne Green. The two worked together for many years, continuing to build the company and its reputation throughout the area.
When Peter retired in 1999, Wayne purchased Laviolette Garage Doors and became its second-generation owner.
For more than two decades, Wayne carried on the business Peter had started, maintaining its focus on quality workmanship, dependable service, and strong relationships with customers.
In 2014, Wayne’s son and Peter’s grandson, Michael Green, joined Laviolette Garage Doors. Mike spent years working alongside his father, learning the business firsthand and continuing a family tradition that had begun with his grandfather decades earlier.
2023 — A Third Generation Takes the Lead
Following Wayne’s retirement in 2022, Mike took over the full-time operations of Laviolette Garage Doors, becoming the third generation of the family to lead the company.
Today, Laviolette Garage Doors remains family-owned and operated, continuing the legacy Peter Sr. began in 1977. Nearly 50 years later, the company still carries the same values it was built on: quality work, dependable service, and taking care of the community it calls home.
From left to right: Wayne Green, Peter Laviolette Sr., and Mike Green.