Family business treats windows with kindness
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Lois Alloway started in the drapery business at 14 years old, working in her sister's drapery shop.
When she married Darrell Alloway, a carpenter, in 1960, working on window treatments seemed a natural thing for them to do together.
They opened their first shop in Santa Barbara County in 1964 because Darrell was working at a missile base there. But they missed Modesto, where Lois was raised and Darrell graduated from high school, so they moved the business to Modesto about 1970.
Because of demand, they soon found themselves coming to Tuolumne County at least two or three times a week, so they decided to move here in 1983.
By the mid-1980s, they had bought property at 17985 Limekiln Road and built their own home and shop there.
The Alloways have three children. Denise Bacher lives in Detroit and has four children, Doug Alloway lives in Dixon and has two children, and Danelle Volpe lives in Denver and has one child. Denise and Doug graduated from Downey High School in Modesto, the same school from which their dad graduated during the 1950s. Danelle graduated from Sonora High School.
The Alloways do all of their own manufacturing, specializing in custom window treatments and accessories such as bedspreads.
Dale Elliott and Rickey Woodall, work with them in sales and sewing, and they hire additional people for sewing during peak business times.
One of their specialties is the symphony shade, which is insulated and has a lifetime guarantee. They buy the components and make the shades in their shop, so they can make them to fit any shape of window.
Free in-home estimates are provided so they can help their clients select the right window treatments and bedspreads for their homes. They can also provide laminated vertical blinds to match wallpaper or fabrics.
At the Home and Garden Show, they will feature window treatments at discounted prices and will give away a symphony shade valued at $100.
Alloway's Draperies
17985 Limekiln Road
532-3932