Vonnegut Hardware Company

[3] In 1852 Clemens Vonnegut, Sr (1824–1906) entered into a partnership with fellow German Charles Volmer opening a hardware store in Indianapolis.

[6][7] Clemens Vonnegut's son Franklin would later reflect that Volmer simply went across the street and opened a grocery and liquor business.

[9] In 1858, Charles Volmer was operating a wholesale wine, liquor, and cigar distributorship at 95 East Washington Street, Indianapolis.

[13][14][15] Clemens Vonnegut Sr has been described as "sophisticated" and "eccentric", and was known for wearing a cape and carrying rocks to help strengthen his bicep muscles.

[17] Around 1874, the business would move to 184-186 East Washington Street,[18][19][20] a three-floor building with a basement that spanned an area of twenty-two by one-hundred ninety-five feet.

In 1898, Vonnegut Sr would purchase property at 342-348 East Washington Street and, briefly, move his business to that location.

Since this location was adjacent to the Vonnegut store at 120-124 East Washington Street, an archway was cut between the two buildings to merge them.

While not an official ownership document, the Indianapolis City Directories from 1892 through 1905 listed the four Vonnegut children as principals along with their father.

Four years later, his four sons, Clemens Jr, Franklin, Bernard and George filed to incorporate the enterprise as The Vonnegut Hardware Company.

By 1908, Prinzer, working in conjunction with his Indianapolis neighbor, architect Harry H Dupont, would develop and receive US patent protection for what would later come to be known in the industry as panic bar door hardware.

[35] Richard E Kremp died on September 15, 1961 Vonnegut Hardware Company retail stores were a popular and trusted shopping destination.

Vonnegut sold quality hardware, housewares, sporting goods, radios, watches, toys, yard supplies, gardening tools, sportswear, and much more.

The downtown store also sold firearms, a full line of photography equipment, fireplace fixtures and other specialty items.

[36] When Carl Prinzler started his illustrious career at Vonnegut in 1886, he recalls a total work force of under twelve employees.

The Fountain Square store, located at 1116 Prospect Street, continued to operate under The Vonnegut Hardware Company name.

[40] Under Kremp's leadership, Vonnegut pioneered the concept of “neighborhood selling” by branching out from the downtown Indianapolis flagship store.

In the year of 1930, Vonnegut opened its first, full-line neighborhood shopping location in Irvington, approximately five and a half miles due east of the center of downtown Indianapolis.

[41][42] Within its downtown and neighborhood shopping stores, employees often conducted public training on topics such as woodworking, plumbing, hobbies and home repair.

Designed by the Indianapolis architectural firm of Vonnegut, Bohn and Mueller, this modern, six-story building contained 350,000 square feet and was built at an approximate cost of $500,000.

[43][44] Vonnegut held to a standard of practice that commercial product orders received by 11 am would be fulfilled by 1 pm on the same day.

[45] By 1950, the Vonnegut mill supplies division covered all of Indiana and some of the adjoining territories in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky.

[49] With stores located throughout Marion County, Vonnegut Hardware Co was largely known in Indianapolis for the efforts of its retail division.

While the retail division generally thrived after The Great Depression, it provided only a small proportion of the firm's annual sales volume.

[50] Through an extensive network of sales representatives, Vonnegut marketed the Von Duprin Safe Exit Device in every principal city in the United States.

[53][54] Even prior to 1925, Von Duprin Safe Exit Devices were shipped to Japan, Australia and a few South American countries.

[51] The Von Duprin Safe Exit Device has been credited for saving Vonnegut from financial ruin during The Great Depression.

Vonnegut also had its own semi-professional band, led by employee Edwin E Kerner, who also played the viola, violin, and alto horn.

Many employees of Vonnegut Hardware Co. such as, Oscar Mueller, Frank Blank, William Klinhenz, Theodore Rugenstein, Ed Snyder, Al Brocking, Maurice Schultz, Homer A Eichacker, Carl Brocking, Albert Stich, Al Gruman, Clarence Childers, Carl J Prinzler, Edward J Galm Sr and Richard E Kremp, were employed for over 45 years.

The Schlage Lock Company retained all ownership interest in and to the industrial trade name Von Duprin and its products.

[68] By 1989, Vonnegut Industrial Products, Inc, with annual estimated sales of $40 million, was sold and merged into W W Grainger of Chicago, IL.