Made in the Shade is pleased to welcome our newest members of the family, Christa DiDomenico and Doug Smeigh. Christa and Doug make their home
and raise their family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is also the home base for their new Made in the Shade business. We are so excited to support them through this journey and have no doubt that they will enjoy great success along the way!
Professional background
Like so many other Made in the Shade Owners, Doug comes from a professional background that is completely unrelated to window fashions. Doug has built a very successful career as a Surgical Technician and will bring his natural attention to detail to his new role. Christa, on the other hand, brings over 10 years of industry experience to the business. She enjoyed great success as a Sales Consultant and Operations Manager of a window fashions retail business in a neighboring town.
What hobbies/interests do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In our free time we like to travel, even if its just a day trip. We spend as much time as possible with our boys (Doug has a 13 year old son from a previous marriage and I have a 21 year old and a 10 year old from a previous marriage). Doug’s son is very active in sports and keeps us busy at games all year round. Doug and his son enjoy attending sporting events together. My youngest is a train enthusiast and we enjoy taking train rides to various destinations in our state. We enjoy visiting wineries in our “non-kid” free time and seeing shows. I have always loved music and Broadway having been a member of the local opera company in my younger years
Tell us about your family and their interests
Doug’s 13 year old son, Connor, loves sports and plays football, baseball, and basketball for his high school. He has also developed an interest in the arts. He performed in his first school play this year and he plays the French Horn in the band. My oldest son, Trey, turns 22 this year and is working toward IT certifications to enter the workforce. He started installing blinds and shades for the retailer I worked for right out of high school and will be a great asset to our business. My youngest son, Finn, just turned 10 in May and wants to be a train engineer when he grows up. He enjoys firefighting and taking trips to the station with his dad. Finn was diagnosed as a Type One Diabetic a year ago and will attend diabetic camp for the first time this July. We plan to fundraise and participate in the local chapter’s walks for JDRF
What appealed to you about the Made in the Shade opportunity?
The experience gained from my window fashions retail experience as an Operations Manager and Design Consultant brought out a sincere passion for window treatments. What was supposed to be a part time, two days a week, job turned out to be a life changing career. When the opportunity came along to own a franchise alongside Doug, we jumped at the chance. Doug has spent the last 21 years in healthcare, mainly in the operating room. His passion for patient care will transfer to customer care and apply well in the window covering industry. Unfortunately, health care has changed over the years, especially since 2020, and he knew it was time for him to put his efforts elsewhere.
What is your best MITS contact number and business email?
Phone: (717) 305-1320
Email: christa@mitslancaster.com or doug@mitslancaster.com
