Frank Monteleone, the well-known and long-time owner of Curtains Plus in Michael’s Mall for a quarter of century from 1982-2006, passed away this week at the age of 74, marking the end of an era for many of us who have been long-time residents of this community.
Frank and his wife Marie became fixtures at their Center business location, where they quickly developed a loyal following for their friendly service and expert advice. They established their business at a time when small, mom-and-pop retailing was possible, though only with a lot of hard work and long hours.
But that was before we had big box stores and the Internet, which essentially have spelled the end of hometown retailers such as the Monteleones.
However, as anyone who knew Frank can attest, his four children, Lisa, Frank, Joey, and Gina, were the center of his life, and he took immense pride in their many accomplishments.
We know we join with the hundreds of local residents who came to know Frank Monteleone over the years, as we did here at the Sun-Transcript, in offering our condolences to his family.