4 g"M owidu muyiUfl Grant Dodd: 35_ years of decoratilg, Whitby January 15 is a day Grant Dodd remembers very weil. On that day, just two weeks away, Dodd and his staff at Dodd & Souter Decor Centre will celebrate an anniversary. For Dodd, it will mark 35 years of serving Uhc Town of Whitby and Durham Region. On Jan. 15, 1959, Grant Doddand Howard Souter opcncd the doors of Dodd & Souter Paint and Wailpapering Store (at 107 Byron St. S.) for thc first trne. During.the early days of the business, Scotty Myles was the painter on staff, while Dodd and Souter went out in Uic evenings and on weekends to hang walipaper It wasn't' long before thc downtown Wlaltby store ernployed darne painters and a fuiltime paper hanger on staff. Dodcl rernembers Uiat over thc years, Uic store ernployed as many as six decorators at one time, and sometimes 14 to 16 on staff during Uic summer rnonths. Besides painting Uic intenior and extenoer of homes in Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa and Ajax, Dodd & Souter had contracts fo paint the public schools and the two high schools. The store also painted Red Wing Orchards and Dupont of Canada, in Whitby and Ajax, for a number of years. The business continued to grow rapidly and, in October 1959, Dodd and Souter introduced carpet an d broadloorn to their business. By 1962, Uic store also offered a custom draperies as part of its decorat- 1959 TO1994 FAMILY BUSINESS THR1VES IN DOWNTOWN WHITBY ing service. A staff of 10 fulitime employees Iooked after customers needs in everytbing frora paint and wall- paper to floor and window coverings. Ini 1972, Dodd & Souter becamne a family business with the addition of Guy Dodd and Grant Souter to the staff. The part of the business on which Dodd & Souter built its reputation - paint and wallpaper - was sold to Bill Perkins in 1975, while Dodd & Souter now concentrated on the carpet, broadloorn and drap- eiy side of the business. After 18 years of partnership, Howard Souter retired and Grant and Guy Dodd took over the busi- ness. In 1981, Grant Dodd built a new building at 104 Byron St. S. and Dodd & Souter moved to its new home across the street frorn the building they had occupied for nearly a quarter of a century. The new home allowed Dodd & Souter to bning ail parts of the business - carpet, vinyl, Uic and draperies - under Two years later, in January 1983 , Grant Dodd took lhis retirement and soltFi te ompany to lais son Guy. But retirement was short-lived anid six montas later, Grant Dodd bougat back into Uic business. Father and son ran Uic successful downtown Whîtby store for five years. Business continued t0 grow steadily and the untimely death of Guy Dodd, brought the Souter naine ba ck into Dodd and Souter. Howard Souters son.Grant had been workdng atthe store since 1983 and was very hclpful to Dodd. Later the sarne year, Doddbegan to sel shares of thc company to Souter as weil as-Steve.Sandford and! Clans Hoddy. At the same timei Grant Souter was made gencral manager of thc company. Despite ail the great peopleWho have worked w ith Dodd & Souter, Grant Dodd says'bM1saiers deserve plenty of credit for Uic success of thc business. '-Me y are Uic best a carpet store could bav li says. 1l'hey arc conscienlious and great with customers." It also appears that on ce a person cornes to work for Dodd & Souter, tlacy don'twalt to leave. The store currently employees staff wlthüp to 16 years o! service - that extensive experience means a lot when you want to have a job donç rieh. On Jan. 15, Grant Dodd will celebrate 35 years of serving Whitby and Uhc surrouniding area. It is a ser- vice record of which to be proud. 1