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E.P.
Arnold, an accountant for a grocery
warehouse, is asked by B.J. Lewis to
audit his books. Recognizing the opportunity,
Arnold takes $300 in savings and $200
borrowed from friends and forms a corporation
with Lewis. They open their first store
on Main St. (Grand Ave.) in Spencer,
IA. |
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1/2
ton Chevy truck - $395 |
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Sugar
15.5 lbs - $1.00 |
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Kellogg's
Corn Flakes - 2 boxes for 23¢ |
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Lindburgh
completes first trans-Atlantic flight |
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Stock
market crash signals the start of
the "Great Depression". |
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Machine
shop operations begin with purchase
of first Piston Grinder. |
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Hiring
of the first two employees: a bookkeeper,
Florence (Pullen) Rusch, and a salesman. |
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Quart
of oil - 30¢ |
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Folgers
coffee - 42¢/lb |
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Automatic
washing machine - $499.95 |
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Peanut
butter - 27¢ for 2 lbs. |
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First
branch store opens in Marshall, MN. |
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Arnold
buys out Lewis. |
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Spencer
Main Street burns. First store and first
Piston Grinder lost. Re-opens on 1st
Ave West as Arnold Motor Supply. |
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As
stores continue to open throughout the
area, the new managers become partners
in the company, as Mr. Arnold believes
that people will work harder if they
have a financial interest in the business. |
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Despite
advice from bankers warning of
the shaky retail environment,
Arnold opens 3rd store in Sheldon. |
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National
unemployment rate - 28% |
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Coffee
- 30¢/lb |
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Sugar
- 5 lbs for 33¢ |
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Duroflo
Motor Oil - 24¢/gallon |
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Kwik
Stop Battery - $4.88 |
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Store
Manager's average annual income
- $5,000 |
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In
the first year that machine shops
sales are recorded separately,
sales reach $19,000. |
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AMS
now has 6 locations (adding Algona,
Mason City, and Fairmont, MN).
Each location operates a machine
shop with: Van Norman-Piston Grinder,
Brake Drum Lathe, Horizontal Surface
Grinder, Valve Refacer, Sunnen
Pin Hole Grinder, Brake Shoe Riveting
Machine, Clutch Pressure Plate
Rebuilder. |
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All
cars were required to have sealed
beam headlights. |
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Company
receives priority rating from
Washington D.C. to purchase a
$10,000 Van Norman Crank Shaft
Grinder and a $1,500 Van Norman
Connecting Rod & Bearing Insert
Grinder. While all local competitors
sell their machines to defense
contractors, Arnold chooses to
keep his. AMS is the only business
providing machine shop services
within a 100-mile radius of Spencer.
Lorol Cleghorn is hired to help
run the new grinder which operates
20 hours a day, seven days a week. |
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Top
salesmen and later top machine
shop employees are invited to
become partners. |
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The
Chevrolet Corvette is introduced. |
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Interstate
highway system is launched. |
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A
27,000 sq. ft. warehouse is built
in Spencer. When government rules
dictate the warehouse can not
bear the same name as the stores,
the new warehouse is named for
Mr. Arnold's son, Merrill. |
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Stores
11 & 12 open in Oskaloosa
and Storm Lake. |
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First
U.S. manned orbit of the earth. |
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John
F. Kennedy is assassinated. |
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The
Ford Mustang is introduced. |
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All
employees are invited to become partners
for an initial investment of $500 or
more. Everyone joins. |
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Gar
Odor named General Manager of the company. |
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Armstrong
walks on the moon. |
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36,000
sq. ft. warehouse is added in Marshalltown,
IA. |
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18th
store added in Worthington, MN. |
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Mr.
Arnold and Merrill pass away. |
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The
company responds to the changing
business environment by joining
the Auto Value Group. |
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The
Chrysler Minivan is introduced. |
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Milo
Allen named General Manager. |
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Ford
F250 4x4 truck - $12,500 |
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Loaf
of Old Home Bread - 69¢ |
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Company
reaches into Illinois with a stand-alone
PBE store. |
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IPS
(Industrial Paint Solutions) is
created. |
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Employee
status is re-established. |
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New
stores open in Sioux City, Eagle
Grove, and Clarion. |
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New
stores open in Pella and Marion. |
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We
end a decade of tremendous growth
by purchasing the Specialty Sales
warehouse. |
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New
stores open in Muscatine and Wilton. |
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Irene
Arnold passes away at the age
of 100. |
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Company
is ranked 27th largest warehouse
group by "Automotive Marketing." |
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Dennis
Spooner named General Manager. |
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Our
company has grown to include: |
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38
Arnold Motor Supply automotive
parts stores; 4 Autorefinish Solutions
locations in Iowa and Illinois;
Industrial Paint Solutions locations
in Spencer, IA and Omaha, NE; The Merrill
Company auto parts warehouse in
Spencer, Iowa; Specialty Sales
Automotive Parts Warehouse in
Omaha, NE; with 10 Auto Value
Parts Stores in Nebraska, Iowa
and Missouri. |
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Combined
total of 186,000 sq. ft. in warehouse
space. |
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Over 1,000,000
miles driven annually by warehouse
trucks. |
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