History

At age 13, Michael Ascherl began working as an apprentice glazier in southern Germany. At age 16, Michael obtained Journeyman status before confiding to his boss that he wanted to learn stained glass. His boss dismissed it stating, “You’re too old to learn a new trade.” A few months later, Michael quit and promptly obtained employment with a small stained glass studio, The J. Gross Company. Michael’s duties included walking from town to town in southern Germany repairing windows. The glass rack and tool box, called a “Kraxze,” that he carried on his back over 100 years ago is proudly displayed in our showroom.

Michael immigrated to New York in the early 1900s where he met his wife before moving to Cleveland Ohio. Michael Ascherl landed employment with a commercial glass company until 1924 when a devastating tornado wiped out the downtown area of nearby Lorain Ohio. Due to extensive damage to downtown churches, Michael’s employer immediately sent him to their Lorain Ohio branch where a stained glass division was hastily set up. For four years Michael spent his days rebuilding all of the damaged windows in the downtown churches.

In 1928, the daunting task of repairing all of the local churches was nearing its end. Michael Ascherl decided that he needed to focus on starting his own studio. Briefly named Sunset Studio, Michael later changed the name to Ascherl Studios.

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John Ascherl, Michael’s middle son, took over the reigns in 1967. In order to fill the void in the Akron area, John opened a new location in Hinckley that was halfway between Akron and Cleveland.

By the early 1980s, the popularity for residential stained and leaded glass overtook the demand for the more traditional church work. John Ascherl struggled to keep up with the customer’s demands.

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Jim Ascherl, John’s youngest son, took over the business in 1994. With new home construction continuing to flourish, Jim and John continued to provide their products to builders and interior decorators while still maintaining their demand for new stained glass and restoration work to area churches. In 1995 Ascherl Studios began offering exterior storm protection as an additional service to churches.

In 2001 Ascherl Studios moved into their present location in downtown Hinckley. This 4000-square-foot facility permitted the addition of a much-needed showroom as well as a separate painting room and kiln room.