Most people wouldn’t presume that a 24- and 20-year-old sister and brother duo would own their own family business. Megan Brosnahan and Eric Brosnahan, however, are anything but your typical 24- and 20-year-olds.
Special to the Coastal Point • JESSE PRYOR
Eric and Megan Brosnahan together are carrying on their father's company, Atlantic Elevators. Eric handles the installation and maintenance, while Megan performs the clerical and financial duties.Their father, Bruce E. Brosnahan, began an elevator company almost 25 years ago, soon after starting up Brosnahan & Sons Construction, a residential contracting business he began with his brother, Kevin.
The two had a client request a dumbwaiter be installed in their house for groceries, so they went to work, fashioning one out of a garage door operator. After completing the project, Bruce was pleased with the result and pursued the idea of constructing in-home elevators. Branching off from that business brought him great success, and Atlantic Elevators was born.
But Bruce Brosnahan’s untimely death this past December left friends and family in shock and despair. The company was split between his two children, 49 percent to each, with the remaining 2 percent going to their mother, Janice Brosnahan. Now, only two months later, Megan and Eric Brosnahan are doing all they can to pick up where their father left off.
“He definitely believed in working hard,” Megan Brosnahan said. “Whether at work or at home, he was constantly doing something. He kept his phone right by his bed, and if there was an emergency, he’d get up in the middle of the night to help out.”
“He was busy all the time,” Eric Brosnahan added. “His mentality was, ‘If you don’t have a tool in your hand, just go home.’”
“It was nothing for Bruce to work 60 to 80 hours a week,” recalled his brother, Kevin Brosnahan. “He was always thinking of ways to better anything he could find. He was very dedicated to his family, and served as a mentor to his kids, but he was definitely always working on something.” Kevin Brosnahan, with help from his son Neil, continues the work that he and Bruce Brosnahan started over two decades ago.
“His life really revolved around making sure this company succeeded,” Megan Brosnahan said.
Eric Brosnahan started helping his father out at a very young age. “He had me running tools to him when I was only 10 years old,” Eric Brosnahan said. “And, by the time I turned 15, I knew how to install [an elevator]. I’m 20 now, and I know the entire elevator system by heart.”
Eric Brosnahan is responsible for not only the hands-on construction and maintenance, but for the training of new workers. Atlantic Elevators employs anywhere between five and 15 workers throughout the seasons.
“His part of the job isn’t easy,” said Megan Brosnahan said of her brother’s work. “It’s a lot of responsibility for a 20-year-old kid, but I’ve been highly impressed with how hard he’s worked.”
Megan Brosnahan’s seen her own challenges since taking over the company. “One of my biggest concerns was changing my appearance to look a little older,” she said. She had started attending sales meetings with her father to get a better feel for the business, too. Her college classes have helped her with the financial aspect of the company, and dealing with clients.
Much of the responsibilities are maintained through a very personable network of people, keeping with mostly family and close friends. The tight-knit employment also helps establish connections with clients, allowing them to know each other at a very exclusive level, added Megan Brosnahan.
Secretarial work and installation is just a fraction of the responsibilities that Megan Brosnahan and Eric Brosnahan have. Repair and maintenance keep them prepared in the summertime, and there are also biannual service checkups.
Atlantic Elevators stretches its reach to customers from West Ocean City, Md., to Dover, providing construction in newly developed homes and installing elevators in multi-level houses built years ago. They have expanded their repertoire to porch lifts — open, accessible lifts on the exterior of the house, and stair lifts, for easier access on staircases.
Though primarily residential in the nature of their work, Atlantic Elevators had tried their hand at some commercial projects shortly before their father had passed, said Eric Brosnahan. The company was involved with a handful of units in the Bayside community.
The dumbwaiters that started it all, and even conveyer belts, are becoming popular ventures with local commercial buildings, such as liquor stores. Atlantic Elevators is also working with Fisher’s Popcorn in Fenwick Island to install a dumbwaiter to ease their production.
Commercial business hasn’t been at the top of their projects since their father passed away, Megan Brosnahan said, mentioning that they’re still easing into that aspect of the business.
“We’d like to break back into the commercial market,” she said. “We want to continue with that, but maybe a little later down the road.”
The majority of their clientele comes from the beach homes along the Delaware and Maryland shores.
“It’s really a nice selling point,” she added. “A lot of the people who [have an elevator installed] have older parents or friends who come down. And if you’re renting the house, it’s a nice convenience to say, ‘I have an elevator for your handicapped daughter, son, grandmother, what have you.’”
Services from Atlantic Elevators, though, are not restricted to the handicapped and elderly. Most multi-story houses these days are built with the kitchen and bedrooms on the second or third floors. Dumbwaiters and elevators help supply expediency of transporting luggage and groceries.
“It’s a great investment, too,” Megan Brosnahan added. “It boosts the value of the house when reselling. That’s one of the big encouragements.”
Recently, the Brosnahans’ company began work in conjunction with Chapel Crossing in Dagsboro and Burtons Crossing in Millsboro to make their townhouses elevator-optional and elevator-ready. “A lot of the townhomes are three stories,” said Megan Brosnahan. “They’re actually making it affordable for an everyday person. You don’t have to be a millionaire to have an elevator in your house.”
Atlantic Elevators has worked with many local construction companies and contractors, establishing connections to names like Toll Bros. Inc, O’Hare Custom Builders, Bunting Construction Corp., and, not surprisingly, Bronsahan & Sons.
“Business is increasing every year,” Megan Brosnahan said. “We’re one of the top 10 dealers with our manufacturer.” Though the position was stressful at first, everything is starting to fall into place, she said.
Janice, Megan and Eric Brosnahan said they would like to thank everyone in the community for all their support over the past few months.
“There were so many people who stood behind us,” said Megan Brosnahan. “We want everyone to know that we’re not going anywhere. We’re here to stay, and we’re going to carry on our father’s business.”
For more information about Atlantic Elevators, call (302) 537-8304.