Ridgefield Glass Reflects Upswing In High-end Homes

John Petchonka, the co-owner of Ridgefield Glass, is all smiles when he looks in the mirror. Despite the gloomy economy, the establishment, which has made high-end custom glass home accessories since 1974, is experiencing a 20-percent increase in sales over the same period last year, said Petchonka, who took over the business in 2005 with Robert Sassone, a former custom molding designer. "We're surprised by our performance so far year-to-date," said Petchonka, whose business last year declined 12 percent from a slowdown in the home construction industry.