The paint factory was established in 1913 at 21st and Broadway in Kansas City by Charles R. Cook.
[2] By 1930, Cook had established factories in Kansas City, St. Louis, Ft. Worth, Houston, Cincinnati and Detroit.
[1][3] In 1991 the company was split up with Sherwin-Williams, Valspar and in 1982 Davis Paints acquired a license agreement to manufacture certain Architectural Coatings in Kansas CIty.
The most visible connection to North Kansas City is the Cook Composites & Polymers Co. which is a subsidiary of Total S.A. and was run for many years by D. Patrick Curran, grandson of C.R.
Cook sold its WHB franchise in 1954 and bought full rights to the channel 9 license, along with KMBC radio, keeping the KMBC call letters and keeping Midland's studios at the Victoria Theatre.