The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of
The Yawman & Erbe story is as American as they come. Two young men working in manufacturing during the turn of the century. One a master mechanic who was revolutionizing old methods with the introduction of new and at the time radical ideas. The other, responsible for the development. All along, in true American spirit, it occurred to the co-workers that they could do as well for themselves as they were doing for others.
Neither having all of the qualities of a successful business owner in themselves, Mr. Ywaman & Mr. Erbe–co-workers at a Rochester manufacturing company– turned to each other as a complimentary counter-parts with a shared vision. Consumed by desire and ambition to have a business of their own, the two frequently discussed their dream until the “do and dare” moment finally arrived in May 0f 1880 and the two opened “Yarmen & Erbe,” a small enterprise housed in a 600 sq.ft. room. The first employee—a boy to run errands and learn the business—was soon hired, and an agreement was drafted and signed calling for the strict adherence to the the company’s highest principles in manufacturing and business. Within three years, Yawman and Erbe established a reputation for quality work–both in material and workmanship, and that reputation rapidly spread. By the early 1900s “Yawman & Erbe” grew to one of the largest office furniture manufacturing firms in the world. According to the company magazine published in 1909, Y&E was a monument to Yawman and Erbe’s life work and and “an example of what can be accomplished with no other capital than brains and brawn honestly and intelligently applied.”
For more information about this classic Y&E tanker desk, come visit us at 7609 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, 90036. Or call 323.935.8438.
{ 0 comments }
