ARROW HISTORY
Joseph Gershon started Arrow Fabricare Services in 1914, he called his business “Gershon Tailors” as the young man had fostered a strong reputation in Kansas City, MO, for his exceptional skills with needle and thread.
However, when Joseph opted to change the name a little later, he placed the word “Arrow” in the title as it was an extremely popular shirt brand at the time. Joseph’s brother, a shirt salesman, had suggested the name and it just seemed to fit well. Now, 100 years later, the name is still a perfect match for its current owner, Bruce Gershon, the third generation of his family to helm the business.
Just as an arrow points straight ahead, Bruce doesn’t like to focus his energies on the past. He prefers to point toward the future. “I characterize myself as kind of a perfectionist,” he said. “I guess I get bored with everyday business. I have to always take on a new challenge so it is never boring around here.”
The company has certainly had its share of challenges over the years, especially since Bruce began working full time in 1974. At that time, the company had about a half dozen employees, most of whom were family members. A great deal has changed since then.
“We had a major remodel of the original building in 1978,” Bruce noted. “We put a new front on it and we finished connecting the building to the cleaning plant. Back in the old days, the cleaning plant was in another building out back, across an alley. Half of that had been enclosed before I got here. The other half was enclosed in the ’78 remodel.”
Then, in 1979, the family bought a 7-Eleven building across the street that could be used for employee parking as the company grew.
In the following year, the Gershons added on a 2,400-sq.-ft. vault for storing furs. The business always seemed to need more and more space. It had certainly come a long way since Bruce was growing up around the plant with his father, Bob.
Bob Gershon returned from serving the U.S. Air Force in World War II in 1947 and began working immediately at the family business. Now, 67 years later, he has not slowed down; he still works with his son every day. When Bob first assumed more of the day-to-day responsibilities, Arrow took in a lot more laundry and drycleaning work and cemented a reputation for great service and quality. The family also developed a good reputation inside the industry, as well. In fact, Bruce’s uncle, Melvin, came up with a few important innovations that helped all drycleaners.
“My uncle actually invented two things in the time he was here in this plant,” Bruce said. “One of those things was the foam press pad. After a 17-year run with the patent, Qualitex bought that out.
“The other thing he had invented — that they really didn’t patent but was adopted and made widely used by Cissell — was the electric thumb switch on a steam iron. It was an idea that my dad had from his time in the service working on airplanes. Back in those days, they had pedals on the floor to make the steam come out of the iron. My dad said to my uncle, ‘Why couldn’t we have a switch right on the iron that you could operate with your thumb?’ They rigged it up.”
Not long after, Melvin Gershon left Arrow to pursue a career in engineering. Bob, however, remained and eventually taught the business to Bruce, who has been continuously expanding and remodeling the plant for the past 38 years.
In 1994, Arrow added about 4,000 sq. ft. of space to its distribution and check-in area to accommodate for its expanding retail routes.
A decade later, the company added another 6,300 sq. ft. to its leather and fur department. The Gershons also purchased Blanc Plume Fine French Laundry which now houses the fire restoration division of the company. Overall, Arrow’s resources are divided into two buildings totaling over 44,000 sq. ft. in area. The company also has as many as 80 employees, depending on the season.
As for the services it offers, it’s difficult to find one in which Arrow does not specialize. The company provides leather and fur cleaning and repair, alterations, gown preservation, fire restoration, mail order cleaning and other unique and interesting services. “We do cleaning and repair of turnout gear and bunker gear,” Bruce said. “You use special chemicals. A lot of the work that we get from the fire department is of a hazardous nature. “You have to go through testing to be able to work on the Crosstech moisture barrier (in firefighter uniforms) because it is very essential to the performance of the turnout gear to protect firemen,” he added.
While Bruce admits all of the diversity can make the business “more interesting to operate,” he is quick to point out that the company’s focus remains simple.
“The emphasis today in our business is on quality,” he said. “We’re studying different ways to improve our quality and training. We want people to come to Arrow and feel like they are going to a place where they can get answers. Our customer service reps know how to talk to them intelligently about the jobs they bring.”
Quality is an attribute that the Gershon family has instilled in Arrow for a long time. These days, they can simply show customers their IFI Award of Excellence certification if they require proof of their abilities, but, not so long ago, the company relied more on word of mouth. In fact, word of mouth helped the company attract a large share of celebrity customers, including Bill Cosby, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, Warren Beatty, Cher, Judith Light, Ralph Lauren, and others. As always, with every garment, every customer and every employee, Arrow Cares!
However, when Joseph opted to change the name a little later, he placed the word “Arrow” in the title as it was an extremely popular shirt brand at the time. Joseph’s brother, a shirt salesman, had suggested the name and it just seemed to fit well. Now, 100 years later, the name is still a perfect match for its current owner, Bruce Gershon, the third generation of his family to helm the business.
Just as an arrow points straight ahead, Bruce doesn’t like to focus his energies on the past. He prefers to point toward the future. “I characterize myself as kind of a perfectionist,” he said. “I guess I get bored with everyday business. I have to always take on a new challenge so it is never boring around here.”
The company has certainly had its share of challenges over the years, especially since Bruce began working full time in 1974. At that time, the company had about a half dozen employees, most of whom were family members. A great deal has changed since then.
“We had a major remodel of the original building in 1978,” Bruce noted. “We put a new front on it and we finished connecting the building to the cleaning plant. Back in the old days, the cleaning plant was in another building out back, across an alley. Half of that had been enclosed before I got here. The other half was enclosed in the ’78 remodel.”
Then, in 1979, the family bought a 7-Eleven building across the street that could be used for employee parking as the company grew.
In the following year, the Gershons added on a 2,400-sq.-ft. vault for storing furs. The business always seemed to need more and more space. It had certainly come a long way since Bruce was growing up around the plant with his father, Bob.
Bob Gershon returned from serving the U.S. Air Force in World War II in 1947 and began working immediately at the family business. Now, 67 years later, he has not slowed down; he still works with his son every day. When Bob first assumed more of the day-to-day responsibilities, Arrow took in a lot more laundry and drycleaning work and cemented a reputation for great service and quality. The family also developed a good reputation inside the industry, as well. In fact, Bruce’s uncle, Melvin, came up with a few important innovations that helped all drycleaners.
“My uncle actually invented two things in the time he was here in this plant,” Bruce said. “One of those things was the foam press pad. After a 17-year run with the patent, Qualitex bought that out.
“The other thing he had invented — that they really didn’t patent but was adopted and made widely used by Cissell — was the electric thumb switch on a steam iron. It was an idea that my dad had from his time in the service working on airplanes. Back in those days, they had pedals on the floor to make the steam come out of the iron. My dad said to my uncle, ‘Why couldn’t we have a switch right on the iron that you could operate with your thumb?’ They rigged it up.”
Not long after, Melvin Gershon left Arrow to pursue a career in engineering. Bob, however, remained and eventually taught the business to Bruce, who has been continuously expanding and remodeling the plant for the past 38 years.
In 1994, Arrow added about 4,000 sq. ft. of space to its distribution and check-in area to accommodate for its expanding retail routes.
A decade later, the company added another 6,300 sq. ft. to its leather and fur department. The Gershons also purchased Blanc Plume Fine French Laundry which now houses the fire restoration division of the company. Overall, Arrow’s resources are divided into two buildings totaling over 44,000 sq. ft. in area. The company also has as many as 80 employees, depending on the season.
As for the services it offers, it’s difficult to find one in which Arrow does not specialize. The company provides leather and fur cleaning and repair, alterations, gown preservation, fire restoration, mail order cleaning and other unique and interesting services. “We do cleaning and repair of turnout gear and bunker gear,” Bruce said. “You use special chemicals. A lot of the work that we get from the fire department is of a hazardous nature. “You have to go through testing to be able to work on the Crosstech moisture barrier (in firefighter uniforms) because it is very essential to the performance of the turnout gear to protect firemen,” he added.
While Bruce admits all of the diversity can make the business “more interesting to operate,” he is quick to point out that the company’s focus remains simple.
“The emphasis today in our business is on quality,” he said. “We’re studying different ways to improve our quality and training. We want people to come to Arrow and feel like they are going to a place where they can get answers. Our customer service reps know how to talk to them intelligently about the jobs they bring.”
Quality is an attribute that the Gershon family has instilled in Arrow for a long time. These days, they can simply show customers their IFI Award of Excellence certification if they require proof of their abilities, but, not so long ago, the company relied more on word of mouth. In fact, word of mouth helped the company attract a large share of celebrity customers, including Bill Cosby, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, Warren Beatty, Cher, Judith Light, Ralph Lauren, and others. As always, with every garment, every customer and every employee, Arrow Cares!