Our Family business was started by G.A. & Emma Frick in 1921
At that time it was called California Towel & Linen Supply and served the Los Angeles area. G.A. did the sales and delivery and Emma did the washing.
Here is a painting of our start
It was hard keeping a business alive during the depression but they did it and we grew to own a building on Marengo St. across from the L.A. County Hospital. There we grew to the size that we had a fleet of four trucks.
Pictured below.
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Robert Frick took over the running of the business in 1941
It was the beginning of World War II and the challenge of running the company during war time was huge. There was a labor shortage due to the war and something had to be done as washing towels and linens, at the time, was very labor intensive.
Robert changed the business name to Frick Paper Co. and changed from a service business into one that sold paper towels, toilet tissue and restaurant supplies to our existing customers. Pictured here is a float we had in a parade in 1951 with paper products flowing out of a mine.
Under Robert's management we expanded into Janitorial Supplies with the purchase of Claremont Chemical Co. and started converting our own paper towels and tissue with the purchase of Airex Towel and Tissue Co.
We built a new warehouse and expanded into paper boxes, shipping supplies, restaurant supplies and office supplies. We did business in the time honored way of having salesmen who called on customers at their place of business.
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John Frick took over the running of the business in 1964
John joined the company with new ideas and converted Frick Paper Co into Paper Mart by changing from a salesman style of business to a regional discount mail order catalog business. We grew fast as the first direct mail distributor in the paper and packaging business. He also installed one of the first real time (not IBM punch-card) computer systems in the country which brought Paper Mart to the forefront of a new era.
Tom Frick joined the company in 1970.
In 1998 Tom and John were among the first to understand the importance of the internet and Paper Mart became one of the pioneers of internet shopping.
We moved again into a 5 acre warehouse and expanded our product line to include both retail and industrial packaging and became a national company.
By 2010 we had outgrown our existing warehouse and offices.
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2012 - 91 years later and we are all personally involved in our business.
With the help of our unique website and our very dedicated and loyal staff, Paper Mart produces great service at a guaranteed low price. By 2010, this magic combination resulted in Paper Mart outgrowing its existing warehouse and John and Tom purchased this 10 acre facility in the city of Orange where we are now the largest discount packaging company in the United States. In this location we have installed some of the most advanced warehouse and shipping systems available to get your order to you inexpensively and fast.
And now part of our 4th generation is active in marketing, purchasing, and sales operations.
Our 4th Generation
91 years of hard work and looking ahead has brought us where we are today and with your help as our valued customers we all at Paper Mart hope to continue to grow to serve you even better.
PS – and our 5th generation is coming.
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