Meet the Neighbors: Mainly skill and knowledge

David Gludt may not be all things to all people, but the Troy man is certainly different things to different people.

Known among local children as "Bus Driver Dave," the family man, school bus driver, classic car restorer and owner of local business Dido Upholstery has followed in his father's footsteps, both in his shop and on his personal time.

Gludt said that after graduating from Troy High School he attended college in Coeur d'Alene to learn the auto-body profession, but he ended up returning to Troy, the place he has long considered his hometown, to take over the family business.

He also took a job alongside his father, who was driving buses at the time.

"It's my 30th year of doing that," he said. "I like the kids. There's days you want to strangle them and other days they're just fun to be around."

After students are safely in their classes, Gludt heads downtown, where car, furniture and the occasional bit of farm equipment upholstery waits to be renewed.

"We've been in business 58 years," he said of the upholstery company his father started in Lewiston before expanding and moving his family to Troy in 1976. "I took it over from him 20, 21 years ago, when he retired. We don't even advertise - we've been here so long."

Gludt said he currently has enough business to keep him booked until July.

Large tables dominate the large, warehouse-like building on Troy's Main Street and upholstery fabric books and fillers are stacked high on huge shelves, but while the work requires a careful and often artistic hand, it doesn't require a plethora of specialty tools.

"There's not a lot of tools used," he said. "It's mainly skill and knowledge."

Two green industrial sewing machines are an upholsterer's "best friend," he said.

"This one's my favorite," he said, gesturing toward one of the heavy-duty machines. "It's about 65 years old."

He said most of the tools are simple, handheld implements, like a squat wooden handled staple puller and black steel wood stapler with no electrical wires attached.

"Most of these they don't make anymore," he said.

Gludt said orders from car dealerships tend to dominate the shop, but he also sees antique furniture, street rods and custom car jobs come through - something that suits him just fine.

"We're all car freaks," he said of his family.

Restoring antique and classic cars - right down to the upholstery - is another family tradition.

Gludt said he has a brother in Lewiston who has 18 Buicks in his garage, while his father has about 25 cars and Gludt currently licenses 12 vehicles of different makes and models.

While his business, job and hobby don't make him a fortune, Gludt said that's not the purpose of them - a happy family and enjoyable, laid back life is what's important.

"Money isn't everything," he said. "I like to think we're good people, I run an honest business and I like our community."

Shanon Quinn can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to squinn@dnews.com.