Our company was started in 1930 by Ralph Zwick. He began by picking up and delivering shades to be washed for 30 cents each. Shortly thereafter he began making new shades. In those days there were not multiple qualities of materials and components. All that Ralph could buy were top quality components. Primarily the bulk of components were from Joanna Western Mills Company. The early versions of window shade cloth were all hand painted on big racks with rollers. The base materials were cotton and cotton cambric.
In the early 1940's Ralph joined with his father Benjamin, and brother Earl, in a combined window shade and hardware business. This combination continued until the early 1960's. At that point the two brothers, Ralph and Earl, decided to separate the businesses. Ralph kept the hardware, and Earl kept the window shades. Being a neighborhood business, selling quality was an absolute.
As neighborhoods changed, and our customer base began to move to the suburbs, because of our reputation we also began doing their new homes in the suburbs. As years went by, their children also became our customers. Today we are making shades for the grandchildren of our original customers.
In 1981, Earl’s son Michael and his wife Deborah took over the family business. By 2006 it became time for Michael’s son, Emanuel to join the family business.
The reason we are still able to do what we do is simply manufacturing and selling quality products. Every component that we use, from the rollers, to the sewing thread, to the window shade cloth, has all been thoroughly tested. Our components have been cherry-picked from the pre-eminent manufacturers in the United States and Europe. We always have, and always will, stand by and service everything that we make.