Lester's Garage Doors was the first full-time specialty garage door company in Gainesville. We were founded in 1969 by Don Lester, at the request of the Gainesville builders, with the help of God and some dear friends. In the early days, Don and two of his growing sons, Steve and Richard Lester installed the first garage doors out of the family station wagon, after school and on weekends. Each of his six children worked for Lester's Garage Doors, but Richard Lester and Janet Hoeft remained throughout all the years.

In 1981, Eddie Hoeft was hired as a Service Technician.  Don & Richard quickly recognized Eddie's integrity and leadership, relying on him when they needed to be sure to get something done right. Eddie was promoted to Manager and then Vice President in 1992.

In 1985, Richard expanded the company and branched off to a separate division, Gates Elegante' which specializes in gates and gate operators.Don retired in 1995, leaving the business in the capable hands of Richard, Eddie, and Janet. Under Eddie's leadership the business has thrived.

Mark Wood, our Service Manager since 1998, was hired in 1994 as one of the Garage Door Installers, working alongside with Eddie for many years. Eddie and Mark have become extremely skilled, brilliant problem solvers. They both have earned the respect and love from their co-workers, customers, and peers in the industry. 

Sadly, Don Lester passed away in 2003. His wife Frances, passed away in 2017 after a long illness. 

In February 2022, Lester's Garage Doors entered it's third generation of the Lester Family, with the addition of Eddie and Janet's daughter, Susan Thompson as Office Administrator, responsible for many things including Sales, Purchasing and Permitting. Susan brings great insight and hope into the next generations with her previous experience working in the larger corporate world. 

Today, we are still owned & operated by the Lester family, specializing in residential overhead garage door and garage door opener systems. We are dedicated to serving Alachua County with the finest products  and workmanship available in the garage door industry. Known for "treating people as you would like  to be treated," we have maintained our reputation for the best service in town!

Lester's Garage Doors is fully licensed and insured, and remains an industry leader. Ed Hoeft, (Son-in-law and owner) holds a Building Contractor's License, which is required in Florida to comply with hurricane codes. We have completed certification for renovations on buildings with Lead-Based Paint. We are also PCI Compliant and keep your credit card and identity information secure. All our employees pass thorough background checks and drug tests.        

• Founded on our Faith in God We recognize God as the source of our business and strive to treat people in a way to let God's light shine through us.
• Building Contractor’s License  #CBC1251673
  First area overhead door company to acquire a building contractor’s  license. 
• Vastly Superior Products
  Ours last 2-3 times longer than lesser quality products. 
• Highly skilled, experienced staff   Every technician has been skillfully trained and is experienced. Several have over 30 yrs experience.  (Over 150 years combined experience). The staff at Lester's Garage Doors is better than any other staff at any other door company in the State of Florida.
• Genuine Interest in Helping You 
  Highly recommended by your friends and neighbors. Just ask around!
• Our Prices are Fair
  We will not overcharge or sell you parts you don’t need. We tell you up-front what the expected cost is and we stick to it!
• Reliable We keep our commitments, arrive as scheduled, and do expert work. 
• First Garage Door Company in Gainesville Founded by Don Lester at the request of local builders and with the help of God.
• Truly Local, Family Owned and Operated
  Serving Gainesville for over 55 years. We live in Gainesville and have deep roots here. Our family has been in the same location since 1921. We will continue to be here and reachable when you need service. 
• Awarded Best of the Best in Gaineville Sun's 2016 and 2017 Reader's Choice Awards. Without even advertising or notifiying our customers of this contest, we were nominated and voted First Place as one of Gainesville's top businesses. 
• Gold Genie Pro Dealer. The brand of garage door opener you trust.
• UF Graduate Owner is a graduate from the University of Florida, College of Business Administration
• Active in the Community
  Supporting charities such as area churches and schools, Grace Marketplace, Peaceful Paths, Catholic Charities, Mirror Image Academy, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse,  American Cancer Society, Gianna's Place, plus many others.
• Builder's Association of North Central Florida (BANCF) Member for over 40 years. The Don Lester Service Award, named after our founder, Don Lester is annually awarded by the BANCF to honor past Associate Vice- Presidents. Don Lester served as Associate Vice- President in 1978, and was a Director for many years at both the Local and State levels.
• Environment- Friendly    Recycle steel, aluminum, plastic and paper, and re-use what we can. Paperless billing offered. Energy- efficient products offered.
• Annual maintenence program offered to ensure you can depend on your garage door, referred to by our customers as "The Best Deal in Town!"