Curtis Mathes Corporation
Encyclopedia
Curtis Mathes Corporation is a North America
n electronics retailer based in Garland, Texas
specializing in the sale of private label brand
electronics and repair services. It manufactured it own brand of televisions in Athens, Texas
until July 31, 1982; ten years later, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization
which allowed it stay in business and use future earnings to pay off creditors.
Known for its commercials proclaiming its televisions were the "most expensive" and "darn well worth it", the company was credited with introducing longer warranties to electronics retailing.
parts. By the late 1920s, the company moved into the air conditioning
industry. It also manufactured wooden cabinets and eventually furniture, acquiring Hub Furniture in 1942.
The Curtis Mathes Corporation was founded in 1957 and entered the television industry. On June 2, 1983, its chairman, George Curtis Mathes Jr, 54, was one of twenty-three passengers killed in the Air Canada Flight 797
fire, which started in a rear lavatory. The company then began to die a slow death, going from a peak of 5000 employees and seven manufacturing facilities to about 50 employees in 1988 when it was sold to Enhanced Electronics. At the time of this sale, it was the last remaining fully U.S. owned electronics company. For a time, the company sold equipment sourced from Matsushita, Pioneer
, Thomson
, Samsung
, Daewoo
, Toshiba
, and other manufacturers. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, the Curtis Mathes brand, formerly advertised as the most expensive, became an in-house brand for the KMart
discount chain. As of late 2007, Curtis Mathes has re-emerged with products marketed at several discount retailers such as Wal-Mart
, Sam's Club
, Meijer
and Target
.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n electronics retailer based in Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
specializing in the sale of private label brand
Private label
Private label products or services are typically those manufactured or provided by one company for offer under another company's brand. Private label goods and services are available in a wide range of industries from food to cosmetics to web hosting...
electronics and repair services. It manufactured it own brand of televisions in Athens, Texas
Athens, Texas
Athens is a city in Henderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,710. It is the county seat of Henderson County. According to the Texas Legislature, Athens is the "Original Home of the Hamburger"...
until July 31, 1982; ten years later, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
which allowed it stay in business and use future earnings to pay off creditors.
Known for its commercials proclaiming its televisions were the "most expensive" and "darn well worth it", the company was credited with introducing longer warranties to electronics retailing.
History
The Curtis Mathes Corporation started in 1919 as Connor and Mathes, a manufacturer and retailer of automobile and tractorTractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
parts. By the late 1920s, the company moved into the air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
industry. It also manufactured wooden cabinets and eventually furniture, acquiring Hub Furniture in 1942.
The Curtis Mathes Corporation was founded in 1957 and entered the television industry. On June 2, 1983, its chairman, George Curtis Mathes Jr, 54, was one of twenty-three passengers killed in the Air Canada Flight 797
Air Canada Flight 797
Air Canada Flight 797 was a scheduled trans-border flight that flew on a Dallas/Fort Worth-Toronto-Montreal route. On , the aircraft developed an in-flight fire behind the washroom that spread between the outer skin and the inner decor panels, filling the plane with toxic smoke...
fire, which started in a rear lavatory. The company then began to die a slow death, going from a peak of 5000 employees and seven manufacturing facilities to about 50 employees in 1988 when it was sold to Enhanced Electronics. At the time of this sale, it was the last remaining fully U.S. owned electronics company. For a time, the company sold equipment sourced from Matsushita, Pioneer
Pioneer Corporation
is a multinational corporation that specializes in digital entertainment products, based in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. The company was founded in 1938 in Tokyo as a radio and speaker repair shop...
, Thomson
Thomson SA
Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, Daewoo
Daewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
, Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, and other manufacturers. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, the Curtis Mathes brand, formerly advertised as the most expensive, became an in-house brand for the KMart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
discount chain. As of late 2007, Curtis Mathes has re-emerged with products marketed at several discount retailers such as Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Sam's Club
Sam's Club
Sam's Club is a chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., founded in 1983 and named after Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. , the Sam's Club chain serves more than 47 million U.S. members...
, Meijer
Meijer
Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
and Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
.
External links
- http://curtismathes.webs.com/
- http://www.curtismathes.com/
- http://www.curtismathes.com/index1.html