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History of the manufacturer  

Meier and Frank Corporation; Portland, OR

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Name: Meier and Frank Corporation; Portland, OR    (USA)  
Abbreviation: meierfran
Products: Model types Brand
Summary:

Meier & Frank Corporation
5th Street
Portland, Oregon

Large department store incorporated in 1899. They sold radios and tubes with their unique trade mark but manufacturers of these are not known. Three tubes and boxes from 1928 to c.1935 have been located.

History:

Aaron Meier migrated from Germany to the US in 1855, first settling in California. He bought land in Wilsonville Oregon and at the age of 26 started selling dry goods in Portland. He returned to Germany in 1864 after his fathers death that year. Returning to Oregon he resumed selling from 136 Front Street, Portland, in a shop measuring 25 x 100 feet. In 1873 he took in Emil Frank as a partner and the business became known as Meier and Frank. The store expanded and by 1885 they had opened a new store in Taylor Street. In 1888 Emil Frank resigned and his younger brother, Sigmund, replaced him. Aaron Meier died unexpectedly in August 1889. Sigmund Frank incorporated the store shortly after this and family members became stockholders. Some family members migrated from Germany to work in the company.

They moved to a new building - 5th Street (between Alder and Morrison Streets)in 1898. This building was replaced in 1913 by a much larger one, taking up three quarters of the block. There was 120,000 square feet of floor space. Julius Meier became store manager and because of his political interests, was elected Governor of Oregon in 1930. by 1932 the building had expanded to cover the whole block. The company utilized green painted vans to deliver merchandise, no matter how many items, how big or how small. A Japanese toy company made "tin toy" panel vans painted green and with the company logo on the sides in the early 1950's and these could be said to resemble Chevrolet vans of c. 1952. For some years the company maintained its reputation as the largest retail store west of the Mississippi River. during World War Two the company sold more War Bonds than anyone else in the US. The company sold just about everything except automobiles and farming equipment.

Authorization for a radio station (KFEC) to be built by Meier & Frank was given by the Radio Division of the US Department of Commerce on October 3rd, 1922. The station began broadcasting on October 19th. The Portland radio pioneer, Wilbur J Jerman, installed the transmitter and accessories. Company staff were employed to man the station. On February 17th, 1924 the transmitting license was upgraded from Class A to Class C. Four years later (January 11th, 1928) the company improved its transmitter but had major problems with static. The engineer discovered that the closeness of a large neon Meier & Frank sign was causing the interference. The new Meier & Frank delivery depot at the corner of 14th and Everett Streets became the new home of KFEC on May 21st. Also a new Western Electric transmitter was installed and KFEC's slogan became "Meier & Frank's Own Radio Station". On March 20th, 1929, KFEC was sold to Carl E. Edmond who owned station KMO in Tacoma, Washington. He moved KFEC to Yakims, Washington and registered the new call sign KIT.

The company sold radios and tubes for a number of years which were made for them but with the Meier & Frank brand name. While there is a reasonable amount of information on the internet concerning the company and its history, no information of radios or tube lists have been found. Three tube boxes and two tubes list showing the manufacturing period from c. 1928 to c. 1935. It has not been established who made these but assumed to be one or more of the larger tube makers. The company also sold Radiotron and Cunningham tubes in the 1920's and offered tubes such as the 201A and 227 in their "$1 Day" sales. they alsoold Atwater Kent, Brunswick, Freshman, Grebe, Kolster, Majestic, RCA and Zenith radios during the last half of the 1920's and Radiotron tubes were advertised in their "Founders Day" advertisements on the "Oregonian" newspaper on April 6th, 1934.

This manufacturer was suggested by Fin Stewart.


[rmxhdet-en]

Further details for this manufacturer by the members (rmfiorg):

Meier & Frank advert "Morning Oregonian" Nov 28, 1927tbn_meier_frank_morning_oregonian_281127.png
Meier & Frank advert "Morning Oregonian Oct. 29, 1927tbn_meier_frank_morning_oregonian_291028.png

  

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