David Dawes, who was born in Worcester, MA, in 1938, attended Columbia University, and the New York Fashion Institute of Technology.

David Dawes, founder of the Curtainshop of Maine, passes away at 83. Photo provided by the Curtainshop

David and his wife Patricia, moved to Cape Elizabeth, Maine to raise their family and pursue a career with W.T. Grant, which was forced to close after bankruptcy in 1976.

The dynamic duo of David and Patricia, with little money in hand, opened the first “Curtainshop” in 1976 on Congress Street in Portland, Maine. The company now has stores in, South Portland, Waterville, and Bangor, Maine along with an ecommerce site that his two sons, Richard and John, now manage, own and operate.

With David at the helm and Patricia by his side, David had an ability to read the market and give customers what they wanted at a fair price with a smile.

Under David’s oldest son Richard’s guidance, the stores expanded their offerings and became a Hunter Douglas Gallery Dealer. Once again, to stay current in the residential and commercial markets Richard began offering motorized solutions from Hunter Douglas, Lutron, and Mecho Shade. The knowledge that David passed down continues to allow the company to grow. With Richard overseeing the custom lines, and David’s youngest son John, overseeing the ready-made lines, he launched its latest venture, Port & Bay, the company’s e-commerce site.

Western Ave. location in South Portland. Photo provided by the Curtainshop

The four Dawes’ collaborate on everything and look for ways to service their wonderful customers. It’s always been a group effort, like a ship sailing the seas, steady, and with a fair wind at their back!

The company is now in its 45^th year of business here in Maine, and with hard work, good customer service, and a wonderful group of employees to put everything into action we hope to continue far into the future. David forged many incredible relationships in his over 4 decades at The Curtainshop of Maine and he will certainly be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

In honor of David, the South Portland store will close on Thursday July, 1^st for his memorial service.