Meet the New Owners of Greenhut Galleries

After 40 years, Peggy Greenhut Golden happily announces the sale and transfer of ownership of Greenhut Galleries to John Danos and Kelley Lehr of Los Angeles, California: “Greenhut’s longstanding success and contribution to the Maine arts community has been tremendously fulfilling, both personally and professionally. Over the years, Greenhut Galleries has been blessed with an incredibly loyal and hard-working staff, whom I regard as family. The stellar team I’ve assembled will remain intact. It has been a joy and an honor to help grow the careers of many of Maine’s most esteemed artists. The relationships I have enjoyed with my employees and the artists I have represented over the years — as well as with clients near and far — have been deeply rewarding. I’m thrilled to pass the baton and ensure that all I’ve accomplished will continue.”

Greenhut Galleries began in 1977 in a 300 square-foot space at 10 Exchange Street, under the name “Posters Plus.” In 1978 Peggy moved the business to the Mariner’s Church Building, opening with a Will Barnet show and changing the name to the Fore Street Gallery. A fire in 1985 decimated the business, burning original Miros, Picassos, Calders, and more. Rising from the ashes in January 1986, Greenhut Galleries took up residence at its current location, 146 Middle Street, where the gallery has continued to thrive.

As for the new owners, acquiring Greenhut Galleries is a dream come true. Kelley said, “John and I are so grateful and excited for this opportunity to preserve and continue the legacy of Greenhut Galleries. Peggy has been incredibly supportive and generous with her time and her wisdom. Her invaluable input will be ongoing as we collaborate with her talented staff to ensure a smooth transition and build upon her tremendous success. All of the people we’ve met in Portland thus far have been remarkably warm and welcoming, and we cannot wait to begin our new life in this thriving city.”

John Danos, a native New Orleanian, has been a practicing litigation attorney for the past twenty years, spending most of that time in Los Angeles. Purchasing Greenhut Galleries with Kelley was a dream come true and an excellent opportunity to put his humanities degree, as opposed to law degree, to good use. John has spent countless hours on pro bono legal matters, fighting for the public good, and he looks forward to devoting his energy to the Portland community. He is currently a member of the Director’s Circle at the Portland Museum of Art.

Kelley is originally from Illinois, but has lived in Los Angeles, since 1997. She, too, worked in litigation for many years, as a legal assistant. She holds a BA in English from UCLA, and an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago, where she focused primarily on poetry and critical theory. Her writing has been published in both the paper and online editions of Lana Turner: A Journal of Poetry and Opinion. She is currently a member of the Director’s Circle at the Portland Museum of Art.

For more information:
www.greenhutgalleries.com
146 Middle Street, Portland, ME | 207-772-2693 | info@greenhutgalleries.com