Innovating Store Merchandising for Over 90 Years
Trusted by top retailers worldwide
Necessity...the mother of invention
As a retailer in the early 1900s, Hurum E. Reeve found it difficult to find quality store fixtures for his Torrance, California hardware store. Being a resourceful and talented entrepreneur, he began making his own store fixtures. It did not take long to realize that his “side business” not only could serve his needs but those of other retailers as well. So by the late 1920s, his new Hurum E. Reeve Co. became his first priority. By 1931 his new company was building strong, versatile, high-quality metal store fixtures for retailers on the economically booming West Coast. The company’s first products included Glass Binning Hardware and what would later become the Universal Line of Stock Hardware.
A Family Business
Hurum’s son, Edgar Holland Reeve, took over the reins in 1938 and concentrated on building both the company’s market base and product line while maintaining the tradition of quality, strength and versatility. During his 44 years as president, he created a national network of exclusive independent distributors that peaked in the 1970s with well over 150 separate locations. A Branch Office was opened in San Leandro, California to better service Reeve’s Northern California customers. The capabilities of the Reeve Company grew to include the 700 and 800 Lines of Perimeter Hardware as well as the Reeve Gondola, which allowed the company to work directly with several national drug store chains and two major department store retailers. The company also moved to its present location in Pico Rivera, California and eventually grew to a size of over 170,000 square feet and over 200 employees.
Growth and Expansion
In 1982, Edgar Hurum Reeve, Edgar Holland’s son, became president, sharing half the ownership with his brother-in-law, John Frackelton. Together they expanded the capabilities of this now 50-year-old company to include electro-plating with the purchase of a wholly owned subsidiary, Pico Rivera Plating, Inc. A computer system was installed and many operations were automated to insure the same quality level envisioned by the company’s founder could be maintained in this physically larger and more diverse modern company. Ed Reeve also saw the need for more personalized service as the company began to serve many more retailers, designers and woodworkers on a direct basis. Regional Sales Offices were formed and lead by knowledgeable sales professionals in tune with the ever-changing needs of the North American retailer and international clientele.
Built for the Future
After 30 years of experience at Reeve, John Frackelton took over as President and CEO in 1996, determined to prepare the company for the 21st Century. He aggressively extended the focus of the company to include both custom metal products and custom finishes. At the same time he re-committed Reeve’s original principle of supplying high quality stock store fixture components to the retail industry. New tube fabrication equipment, rollforming machinery, AutoCAD software and finishing capabilities were added to the already proven metal stamping, welding and wire forming abilities of Reeve.
The Legacy Continues
In 2020, John Frackelton handed over the reins to his son, Robert. As President and CEO, Robert Frackelton has continued to expand operations both regionally and in Asia. Reeve now serves more internationally based retailers, as well as their US clients who are now expanding overseas. To improve the impact on our planet, new environmentally friendly finishes have been added to Reeve's already extensive electro-plate and coating options. Today, Reeve provides more durable and beautiful parts with drastically less impact on our environment.
After 90 years, the quality lives on, the capabilities continue to grow and the personalized service remains.
Today, retailers, designers, woodworkers and distributors look to Reeve Store Equipment Co. for their quality stock and custom metal store fixtures and components. All of which can be finished in a wide variety of plated or powder-coated finishes. Reeve maintains high levels of stock inventory and can manufacture custom items in lead times that are the envy of the store fixture industry.
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