What is Canopeum? Well, Canopeum is a full service rental agency.... (Think weddings, corporation events, graduation parties, and Back yard BBQ’s.) BUT WAIT, there is more! We also do window washing, power washing, gutter cleaning, lawn service and even snow plowing. The owner considers himself a ‘jack of all trades’.
Now, let me tell you a bit about Canopeum and the history.
1986: Canopeum was established. It was started by a gentleman named Ron Erwine.
******Fun fact: Canopeum started with only a handful of 20x20 Canopies! WOW!
1996: Canopeum was sold to brothers Jerry Baker and Craig Baker.
******Fun fact: Everything was run out of Craig’s shed on his property in Schoolcraft. This is when the brothers started acquiring more inventory of canopies, tables and chairs. Jerry was also still doing his side job of working in the maintenance department of FOA and also window cleaning on the side!
1999: Canopeum hired their very first 2 employee’s! (Alain and Kevin!)
******Fun fact: Jerry met Alain at church (Valley Family Church) who had just moved from his home in Rwanda. Jerry has known Kevin since his birth. (He claims to have introduced his parents to each other, and he ‘owes’ Kevin his life.... ;) Silly Jerry!)
2002: Jerry Baker became the sole owner/operator of Canopeum.
******Fun fact: All the equipment was then moved to another location in Gobles and the office was then run out of Jerry’s home in Mattawan. So a lot of the time Jerry was commuting. This is also when Jerry decided to make the bold move of leaving FOA to run Canopeum full time.
2003: Jerry pulled in his oldest child (Ashleigh) to learn how to work and schedule for the office so he could be out in the field working.
2005: Canopeum moved into a rental property in Kalamazoo off of Miller Road.
******Fun fact: Maxine and Dayton ‘Grandpa’ were brought in to help run the daily operations within Canopeum.
2007: Jerry pulled in his youngest child (Nathan) and his Son in Law (Matt) to start running their own crews.
2015: Canopeum purchased their own/current property at 126 Peekstock Drive Kalamazoo, MI 49001.
******Fun fact: Canopeum moved all of the equipment in, in March when snow was still on the ground. Canopeum leased 1/2 the building to another company (EZWay Driving School) at the same time. EZWay eventually moved out into their own building on Lovers Lane that same year.
Present Day: Jerry is still currently the sole owner and has brought on more family members so Canopeum is truly a ‘family owned and operated company’ to the max. (Jerry even has his young grandson (3yrs old) come in on some days to meet the employees and see how operations are run.) The equipment inventory has increased dramatically over the years as well as the customer base.
Canopeum truly appreciate their customers and their repeat business with us and keeping their business local. Canopeum is blessed beyond measure and hope to be around the Kalamazoo community for a very long time to come.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask us.
I will end this on one Final ‘Fun Fact’, considering we are asked this more than a few times a year.
******What does the name ‘Canopeum’ mean????
Origin. Late Middle English: from medieval Latin canopeum 'ceremonial canopy', alteration of Latin conopeum 'mosquito net over a bed', from Greek kōnōpeion 'couch with mosquito curtains', from kōnōps 'mosquito'.
