Portable Garages and Shelters: Quality Products, Fair Prices, Low Shipping!

Spring is HERE! Time to think about Greenhouses and Gardens!

Thu 22 Mar 2012 8:37:22 PM GMT

We love gardening... And with Spring just poking her beautiful head above the horizon the other day, there's no time like the present to talk about MDM Rhino brand greenhouses!

Actually, we just wrote about our greenhouses at our other Portable Garages and Shelters blog HERE - and also at our Facebook page HERE.

We have been running our website from our winter base - this year, in Florida - and have to tell you this: Had we known how mild our winter was going to be up north in New Hampshire, we would have been sorely tempted to stay home! Some friends of ours reported that they needed to be plowed ONLY ONE TIME ALL WINTER!

That is just unheard of up in our neck of the woods... A typical winter for us is being plowed anywhere from 4-12 times PER MONTH.

In fact, one of the reasons we decided to leave for the winters was to try saving a little money on winter expenses such as plowing and heating...

Nevertheless, here we are, getting ready to complete our winter down south, pack up the car, and head north.

And what do you suppose John is most excited to do? If you guessed that it's to get the ol' Mantis tiller out and begin the garden, you are absolutely right! :)

So, this is typically the time of year when a lot of folks begin thinking along the same lines, and hoping to get a jump on their gardens. If this sounds like you, and you are considering getting a small or mini backyard greenhouse, look no further! Simply pop on over to our Backyard Greenhouses Page HERE and find the MDM Rhino brand greenhouse that is right for you!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Larger "Big Bear Buildings" Now 12 oz Per Square Yard!

Fri 11 Nov 2011 1:41:37 PM GMT

I'm so pleased to announce that MDM Rhino's larger commercial style portable garages are now a 12 ounce per square yard/24 mils thick polyethelyne.

Also, with this comes a new name for these larger buildings, which MDM will be calling their "Big Bear" buildings.

Included in this category are the following buildings:

(All measurements are Width x Length x Height)

30 x 40 x 15 Commercial Round, which you can see on the site here => CLICK HERE to see the 30 x 40 x 15 Commercial Round

30 x 65 x 15 Commercial Round, which you can see on the site here => CLICK HRRE to see the 30 x 65 x 15 Commercial Round

40 x 60 x 18 Domed Truss Building, found here on the site => CLICK HERE to see the 40 x 60 x 18 Domed Truss

Before placing an order on one of these large buildings, please call us to confirm the in-stock status.

Have a wonderful day! :)

Portable Garages and Shelters Update - Connecticut (CT) Sales Tax Increase as of 7/1/11

Tue 5 Jul 2011 8:50:52 PM GMT

Hi everyone,

We were just informed (today), that Connecticut has raised its sales tax to 6.35%, effective Friday, July 1, 2011. That means that from here on in, any of our orders either shipped WITHIN the state of Connecticut or PICKED UP IN the state of Connecticut will now be subject to the new 6.35% sales tax.

We also want to let you know that as soon as new stock arrives, we'll be updating our listings to reflect the new stock.

As always, we appreciate and value your business!

Thanks so much for shopping with us here at Portable Garages And Shelters!

Springtime Means Small Garden Tillers and Backyard Greenhouses!

Wed 23 Feb 2011 4:05:48 PM GMT

First of all, a HUGE thank you to all my visitors and customers for making last year, 2010, a great year. Your support of our independently owned and operated Portable Garages and Shelters website is extremely appreciated. We are very grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the wonderful folks at MDM - especially my terrific account manager David Clayton, and the other account managers Steve and Ardita. And of course where would we be without Mike, Donnie, and Barb ("Mom") - the three who make up the "MDM" name. :)

Anyway, we're coming up on springtime - and you know what that means! :) We all need to gear up for gardening (YAY!) and the great outdoors. In addition to the MDM Rhino mini backyard greenhouses we have for sale, you'll now notice that I've offered a few new selections through Amazone for your review. Simply visit our Mini Backyard Greenhouses page here for more information on that.

In addition, I have now added a page for the best small garden tillers - and have included a selection of Mantis rototillers/cultivators. I'll add additional choices as I find some other good deals! We personally use the Mantis 2-cycle tiller at our house, and we love it. So, visit our small garden tillers page here for more information.

Happy New Year 2010 from Portable Garages and Shelters!

Mon 4 Jan 2010 8:57:23 PM GMT

Portable Garages and Shelters Wishes You a Happy New Year!

Hi everyone! Please accept my and John's best wishes to all our customers for a healthy, happy, and safe year ahead.

Wow! It is hard to believe that it is already 2010. We are currently beginning our third full year providing portable garages, shelters, greenhouses, party tents, and motorcycle shelters (which also protect other outdoor toys!).

We have been representing MDM Rhino brand as independent dealers since August 2007 - and thanks to you, we have become one of MDM's leading dealers who sell their products over the internet. At some point over the next year or so, we will be moving from our current home in Randolph, NH (which is in the northern White Mountains), to a different location in New Hampshire. Once we do so, we will study the feasibility of physically carrying the MDM Rhino line of portable garages in addition to our internet sales.

(For those of you familiar with the north country of New Hampshire, and my town in particular, you might understand why it has not been feasible to physically keep our portable shelters on site! :) )

In the meantime, we will continue to do our best to provide you, our customers, with the best prices and delivery charges that we can afford!

Happy New Year!

Kathy & John Tremblay

Some Different Uses for Your Portable Garage

Tue 24 Mar 2009 8:38:21 PM GMT

I spoke with a customer who told me that he was ordering one of our portable shelters - a party tent - to conduct summertime Bible Camp classes. That was a use I hadn't thought of earlier! In my own case, we have a party tent that we purchased to house a yard sale (If you go to our Party Tent page, you'll see a YouTube video at the bottom that shows how we assembled the Party Tent).

I've had a number of customers purchase portable shelters to use as a run in for their horses, and another purchased a portable garage to house a boat that he is building now that the frame has gotten too large for his regular garage. Another person is using one of the structures to refurbish his antique car. People use them for their flea market set ups.

These versatile portable garages can be used for all sorts of activites! And considering how much less expensive they are compared to building a standard garage, they can certainly be an economical solution for your temporary storage or event needs!

It's Official: We are an Approved Official Vendor for the City of Austin, TX

Sat 7 Mar 2009 6:13:57 PM GMT

Well, we're just so pleased to announce that Portable Garages and Shelters has been approved as a vendor for the City of Austin, TX. We want to thank the City of Austin, TX for your confidence in us, and in our products. As our regular customers already know, we strive to offer the very best value possible in our various portable garages and shelters, mini greenhouses, party tents and motorcycle shelters. We do this not only through our low prices on our Rhino brand shelters from MDM Products, but also our ability to offer discounted shipping nationwide. We do this because we appreciate vendors who give US the best value they can - so if we value it, we figure that our customers will too. And we're evidently on track. Thanks to all of you, including the City of Austin, TX, for your continued confidence and trust. It means a lot to us!

Addition of our YouTube Videos to our Website!

Mon 23 Feb 2009 1:36:44 PM GMT

As some of our returning friends have most likely noticed, we recently changed the home page of our Portable Garages and Shelters website to include a short, welcoming video so that new visitors and friends can get a better feel for who we are and see the actual face behind the website! We do have our photo - as well as a view from our house up in Randolph, NH where our permanent residence is located - on our "About Us" page here at Portable Garages and Shelters.

But, a few weeks ago, we got the idea of putting the introductory video on the home page after speaking with one of our amazing customers who was telling us how much he appreciated being able to speak with us, and to know that there is a "real person" behind the scenes. He mentioned that he wasn't always certain when visiting other websites.

So, we wanted to be sure that you know who we are!

And, when we assembled our own Party Tent this past summer for our annual yard sale, we decided to film the assembly itself and share with you how we did it. That video can now be seen at our Party Tents page (just scroll to the bottom to watch it). Our Party Tent page is located at: http://www.PortableGaragesAndShelters.com/partytents .

You might be wondering where we shot that introductory Portable Garages video - We shot it from the balcony of the condo where we have been staying this winter, in the Cherry Grove Beach section of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We are truly enjoying our stay here, and with the time we have saved in shovelling and chipping ice by being here, we have been able to spend more time working on how to make our Portable Garages and Shelters website easier for you to use.

We thank you for your continued business, as well as all the great ideas we get from all of you!

Have a great day!

Wow! 2009 already? And a great testimonial...

Sun 15 Feb 2009 2:05:50 PM GMT

Hi everyone!

I just realized that it's been months since I last touched base with all of you. John and I are currently working out of our winter digs at the Cherry Grove Beach section of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We feel fortunate indeed that we can work our Portable Garages and Shelters website from anywhere (well, anywhere that has a high speed internet connection). As much as we enjoy our New Hampshire mountain home, the thought of another winter spent shoveling snow, chipping away at ice dams, and sliding around on icy roads had lost its appeal. So, we decided to try the "snowbird" lifestyle, and come south for the winters, and return up north once the snow melts. And from the sounds of things this winter, it will be a while!

I wanted to share this great testimonial with you regarding our portable motorcycle shelter, the Rhino brand "CycleShelter" which is gaining in popularity. As you can imagine, it really makes our day when we get notes like this! Thank you Michael, and all our other customers who make our business so much fun.

"It is always refreshing to deal with a business that has actual concern for its customers and not just as a number or a dollar sign.

You could have let the phone ring and then let me deal with a computer prompted voice recording. INSTEAD you answered the phone on the first ring and actually talked with me.
You could have told me to check the internet or 'just wait' when I asked about my order. INSTEAD you knew what my order was and who I was within minutes of providing my name.
You could have just let me pay and wait for my order. INSTEAD you went out of your way to find the order-shipping status of my shelter and then e-mailed me with those details. (not because I asked you too; but because you knew I would like it)

The items above, your e-mail and your phone call are all the reasons why I will highly recommend you to everyone who asks me "Where did you get that cool portable shelter for your motorcycle?".

Thank you again for providing excellent customer service.

Michael,

CEO of JaxNotary.com and owner of a nicely sheltered motorcycle. "

So where are all the new Rhino Brand Shelters?

Thu 24 Jul 2008 7:55:02 PM GMT

One thing that really hits home when one is in business online, is how quickly global events can affect your own store. When China experienced their devastating earthquakes a few months back, it didn't immediately occur to me how that tragedy could have an effect on my business selling the popular Rhino brand portable garages and shelters. But, of course, everything is connected in one way or another, and in this case, the earthquakes resulted in a slow-down of product deliveries here in the U.S.

I was impressed at how, when we initially learned of the news, we were told that production would get back to normal within a few months - which, in itself seems like a quick road to recovery. What warmed my heart even more, however, is the thought that the shelters that were available would be going toward relief efforts first. Well. When we put it all into perspective, I suppose I'm willing to wait just a little while longer!

To my valued customers: Please bear with us while we work with our suppliers. By mid to late August, we expect to be back in the full swing of things with a complete line of Rhino brand shelters! We appreciate all of our customers, and we thank you for your business!

Springtime in the Mountains

Wed 30 Apr 2008 6:36:23 PM GMT

Hi everyone!

After a very long and snowy winter, springtime is finally arriving up here in the White Mountains of New Hampshire - well, except for today, where we are in the midst of a late April snow. At least it's not like last April, where we were hit with about 6-feet here at our place. But now, the forsythias are in bloom, and the orders for hobby greenhouses are starting to arrive. And why not? In an area such as this, when the snow melts, we all get eager to dig in the garden and begin planting!

Up here, however, it is still way too early to plant too much. We can get some peas and spinach into the ground, but to attempt anything else without protection from the cold, frost - and yes - snow, is unwise at this early stage. Our mini greenhouses are a nice little tool to help you get your plants to a good start.

Another thing that people seem to be enjoying are those new CycleShelters - the "accordian" type of motorcycle shelter we've been carrying for the last few months. These things are great! They are meant for outdoor use, and can be carried along on the back of your bike. These CycleShelters are perfect for "Bike Weeks" all over the country. Up here in New Hampshire, it won't be long before motorcycle enthusiasts arrive for their annual week of activities in Laconia - about 1-1/2 hours south of here. But, we'll see hundreds of folks up here in the mountains as well, as the motorcyclists drive around the state to enjoy the open and scenic roads and majestic scenery of our own little paradise.

Wherever you are, enjoy the freshness of spring!

Kathy & John

New Year's Post

Thu 10 Jan 2008 7:00:30 PM GMT

Happy New Year to all our Friends and Customers here at Portable Garages and Shelters!

It was a busy fall season for us here as folks in the north hurried to assemble their various portable garages before the snow began to fly. And fly, it did! Here in the White Mountains of NH, we had to be plowed nearly a dozen times before the New Year. Today - January 10th - we are experiencing what appears to be the tail end of our "January Thaw" - a few days of unseasonably warm (40's and 50's) temperatures. Just enough to melt some of the potential ice dams from our roof.

Down south, where we were for a few weeks in early December, people were still outdoors grilling and enjoying the outdoors in shorts and sandals. Which reminded us that although we are in an area where we can't set up our portable greenhouse or party tent until spring - there are lots of folks in other areas of the country who can, and do, have wonderful outdoor gatherings throughout the winter. Up in the north, I have seen people pitch a party tent to use as a warm-up shelter (complete with hot chocolate!).

And one of my mid-western customers who purchased one of our new folding "CycleShelters" (a very cool outdoor motorcycle shelter that fits on the back of your bike) told me that he rides his motorcycle year-round! With the exception of a few hardy northern riders who venture out during the January Thaw, we won't see too many motorcyclists until March and April!

So, wherever you are - enjoy your winter season! And have a happy, healthy, and safe 2008!

Heard from a Customer Today...

Wed 10 Oct 2007 10:39:38 PM GMT

I just got the nicest email anyone could possibly ask for! One of the things that I have noticed about being in business online is that I meet some fantastic people. I asked Steve if I could share his letter with you, and he kindly obliged. Keep your eyes open for a Photo Gallery! As soon as I have customer photos, I'll get the Gallery up and running. And... Thank you Steve B! (And yes, I shared this with our Dave at our portable garages and shelters warehouse and asked that he share it with the freight carrier as well):

Hi Kathy;

I wanted to contact you regarding my recent portable garage purchase. I was looking to replace an existing, older portable garage.

I found your website and have to say it was very easy to navigate. The selection; numerous pictures and descriptions were appreciated. Your prices, including shipping, were very reasonable. I had researched several on-line companies and have to say yours was at the top when it came to quality and price.

I ordered my single car garage, on-line, on a Sunday evening. I was very surprised when I received a phone call from the shipping company on Tuesday and I had two boxes with my new garage at my house less than 48 hours after I ordered it !! The boxes were not 'beat up' and the dispatcher and driver were very courteous and friendly.

I just wanted to say thank you, as often times 'little things' can needlessly turn a purchase into a very frustrating experience; but that did not happen in dealing with your company.

I'll try to get some pictures off to you when the weather clears !

Sincerely,

Steve B.

Well, it just doesn't get much better than this, does it! :)

Pics of us now on our "About Us" Page...

Tue 2 Oct 2007 10:29:31 PM GMT

Ok... So we were chatting with one of our portable garage customers, Mike, from British Columbia, who said that it would be a good thing for us to put our pictures on the site so that people can actually put a face to the name. Well, we don't have a recent photo of ourselves here at home, but if you go to our "About Us" page, you'll see one from our wonderful vacation to St. Martin last November, 2006 - just in from a WARM swim in the ocean (I emphasize WARM since the waters off the New England coast are anything BUT warm!).

I also put in a photo of the view from our front yard - you are looking at Mount Madison (on the left) and Mout Adams (on the right). These are part of the northern Presidentials in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I told you we lived in the mountains! :) We need to take down a few straggly spruce that are in the way of our view. Maybe next year's project... (By the way, Mike and his wife Debbie own a few AWESOME wilderness retreat cabins that we are hoping to get to. Click here to see their Wildwood Cabin and their Outa-the-Way Treehouse - both near Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. They've been written up in magazines - you'll see why when you get a look at these amazing getaways! Until next time... Get those cars and toys under cover! :)