Generations
I met Dave at a job site. A customer had invited us both there at the same time and asked us to both measure and give her a quote. I was just a young guy learning the trade and Dave was the experienced Veteran. He was sure to get the job. Instead, Dave pulled me aside and said, “I want you to get this job. Tell me what price you offer her and I’ll just tell her you’re giving her a good price.” A friendship was born.
Dave first got into the window covering industry after his time serving in our military. His business took many forms and names over the 50+ years since. A few of the local window covering professionals in the area first got their start in Dave’s various ventures. It would be in the early 2000s he would settle on his last venture, a blind and drapery store in Atascadero, Classic Blinds and Drapery.
In our time getting to know Dave, we could tell Dave treated people different. He is patient and kind. Dave was always looking to give people a good product at a low price. You could tell Dave cared. Well, when Dave met me, I had no idea I’d end up buying the business from him. I just thought I was getting lunch with an older friend. He may be unburdened from the day to day of running a business but we keep him around as our drapery consultant.
What if…
There’s a thought out there that we need to get the older generation out of the way to make room for a new way of doing things. Well, then you’d never have a classic! A classic is timeless and always relevant. It reminds us of our past and informs our future. It grounds us.
What if we build on another man’s foundation rather than tear it down? What if the generation before us has something to offer? What if their knowledge and wisdom could help us do what we do better? What if we selfishly just want to keep Dave around because we like him?
At Classic Blinds and Drapery, we want to keep the best of the old school while adding our chapter to the story. We call on Dave to join us at job sites form time to time. Sometimes it is for an older client who wants to know how Dave is doing. Others because it’s never a bad thing to have a second set of eyes. We are lucky to have Dave, and we will be keeping him around for as long as he will put up with us.
What’s Next
Trained by a father and son team and mentored by Dave, it’s time for Daniel to step forward. Classic Blinds and Drapery was purchased with an eye toward the next generation. Not only was Dave the perfect mentor, but Daniel is the perfect man to move it forward. We will keep the vision of helping people, and layer onto it helping the helpers.
Classic Blinds and Drapery is about helping. By helping our local community get excellent products at an excellent price, we help invest in our local economy. We want to raise up a new generation of trades people by hiring locals, and helping them establish roots in their communities.
We believe nobody should be an employee forever. That’s why we have a radical vision to help each of our team members become a business owner one day. As they grow in their trade, growing in their ability to provide for their family and buy a home. We become more than a neighbor, we become neighbors helping neighbors.
