the bob baker marionette theater , founded by bob baker and alton wood in 1963 , is the oldest children 's theater company in los angeles .

in june 2009 , the theater was designated as a los angeles historic-cultural monument .

bob baker marionette theater

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bob baker marionette theater , los angeles : hours , address , bob baker marionette theater reviews : 4 . 5 / 5
bob baker marionette theatre host . . . beautiful chandeliers ( 10 / 18 / 17 )
bob baker , puppeteer whose theater was l . a . institution , dies at 90
we are proud to be continuing the bob baker marionette theater experience for another 50 plus years ! we ' re getting a new building based on bob ' s original vision .
bob baker , puppeteer whose theater was l . a . institution , dies at 90 – variety
freedom is tied only to the strings of your happiness . happy independence day from the puppets and the people of the bob baker marionette theater !
future of bob baker ' s puppet theater , once an l . a . icon , is uncertain
puppeteer bob baker , whose marionette theater near downtown los angeles was an institution serving generations of kids , died friday of natural causes . he was 90 . baker , who launched the bob baker marionette theater in 1963 , offered puppet shows in what was billed as one of the world’s oldest and longest - running children’s theater companies . in 2009 , [ … ]
puppeteer bob baker , whose marionette theater near downtown los angeles was an institution serving generations of kids , died friday of natural causes . he was 90 .
the episode will air monday night , and a good bit of it takes place inside the bob baker marionette theater , the oldest children ' s theater in los angeles and the oldest puppet theater in the united states .
historic marionette theater features 3 , 000 handmade puppets and free cups of ice cream .
kiddle karoo , bob baker marionettes at levitt l . a . ( free )
after 25 years without a public performance , the bob baker marionette theater is proud to once more present this fantastic production ! join us for this edutainment extravaganza featuring 100s of bob baker’s hand crafted marionettes that wiggle and shake to make you giggle and applaud .
baker and partner , alton wood , turned a run - down scenic shop near downtown los angeles into a family entertainment institution : the bob baker marionette theater . the bob baker marionettes have performed around the globe ( even on navy ships and submarines ! ) , with an inventory of nearly three thousand puppets . like bill baird before him , bob baker is an american pioneer in the art of puppetry .
everybody loves a puppet show ! the bob baker marionette theater is one of the most exciting and engaging theaters in the southwest . we have taken the magic ingredient imagination . . . …
baker called the show his “love letter to los angeles” and for the crew running the theater , bringing back these vintage shows has become a love letter to bob baker .
l . a . marionette theater granted landmark status | l . a . now | los angeles times
the puppets danced and pranced around the city council’s ornate horseshoe - shaped desk in the city hall chambers before officials voted 14 - 0 to place the bob baker marionette theater on the city’s landmark list .
actors eric christian olsen , left , renee felice smith and linda hunt at the bob baker marionette theater during a shoot for
ncis : los angeles .
the episode featuring the puppet theater airs monday night . ( neil jacobs / cbs )
dante ruiz first stepped into the bob baker marionette theater nearly 20 years ago . he remembers running the old lighting system when he was first hired , working his way up to puppeteering under baker ' s guidance . he was nervous the first time around , operating a lone indian boy marionette during a christmastime show .
bob baker passed away at 90 years old on november 28 , 2014 of natural causes at . he left behind a lifetime worth of smiles and memories , thousands of enchanting , hand - crafted puppets , his cultural - historical landmark : the bob baker marionette theater , and a beloved crew of people dedicated to keeping bob ' s enduring vision ever - lasting .
we explored the marionette theater on obscura day - march 20th , 2010 . photos , stories and more here
hidden beneath a los angeles overpass , bob baker ' s marionette theater continues its fifty year legacy . veteran puppeteers eric de la cruz and alex evans discuss their involvement at the historic theater as they carefully pull the strings of an aged art form .
bob baker ' s marionette theater has been an icon in los angeles since the 1960s . but now , developers plan to turn the performance space into the lobby of a new apartment building , and the theater ' s fans are fighting to save it .
inside the bob baker marionette theater today , it ' s as if not a day has passed since the sketch book revue staged its first production beneath the colored spotlights made of coffee cans painted black some half a century ago .
for more than half a century , the bob baker marionette theater has entertained children , as it did on a recent friday when small boys and girls ignored their parents ' smartphones to marvel and giggle as puppets rested on their laps or flew toward their faces .
but the performance of sketch book revue that i saw wasn ' t a standard song and dance at the puppet theater . the revival show was part of a last - ditch appeal to save the bob baker marionette theater , staged two months before the city would decide whether or not to allow the construction of an apartment building that would force the theater to close .
“marionettes are a dying art form in themselves but their integrity is kept alive through bob baker ' s theatre . ” in 2 reviews
everybody loves a puppet show ! the bob baker marionette theater is one of the most exciting and engaging theaters in the southwest . we have taken the magic ingredient imagination . . . and sprinkled it with a little star dust and made it into a world of whipped cream over delight !
i had an opportunity to take a tour of bob baker ' s marionette theater ; and i was amazed at the number of marionettes on display backstage . alex evans is the head puppeteer of this venue ; and has different storylines and different marionettes for each . for children . . .
i ' ve been to bob baker a handful of times , once without any kids present ( i took a friend to try . . .
we are constantly upgrading our productions , working to make them just as beautiful as bob baker intended ; like with our newly hung . . .
at 8 - years - old bob baker saw a puppet show . more than eighty years later , that experience has grown into a cultural landmark .
a parade of puppets strung along los angeles city council members today long enough to persuade them to designate a west 1st street marionette theater a historic cultural landmark .
one night , we were sitting there with him and talking to the nurses . he was talking about new shows and new puppets he was going to build ,
schuler remembers . then suddenly , he gasped and took his last breath . the nurses had expected him to survive at least until the new year , schuler says .
bob baker did what bob baker wanted to do on bob baker time . he passed the same way .
today , our mission is to provide unique theatrical experiences ; to educate , celebrate and rejuvenate puppetry and the allied arts . furthermore , bob baker marionette theater is now a 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit organization , and this will transition our current space into an institution that encapsulates the old and grows into something new .
the puppets themselves are what amaze me about the bob baker marionette theater . each one is a masterpiece ,
said phoenix , a local historian who travels the country documenting kitschy americana culture .
there ' s such a radically wide variety of marionettes there , and each one of them is a national treasure .
he refers to the theater as the fantasyland of downtown .
it was around 2 : 30 in the morning on november 28 , 2014—the very same day baker had purchased the theater back in 1961 , according to schuler . schuler fetched baker ' s favorite marionette , a circus pauper named scherzo , and placed it on a puppet stand on the nightstand next to him .
bob baker marionette theater is one of my favorite and most iconic places in la . visiting this magical theater is an unforgettable experience for children and also adults ! children love the music , colors and beautiful performance that is appropriate for kids of all ages . adults are also fascinated by the skill and talent of the puppeteers , as well as the historical significance of the theater and its owner . and , as if it weren ' t enough , there ' s an awesome surprise at the end ! so , be sure to check out this whimsical marionette theater that is sure to leave you and your kids feeling so very happy !
when the show ends the children are all given a cup of vanilla ice cream , a tradition that baker has exercised since the theater first opened . some parents , who frequented the theater decades ago , have even remarked on how baker still uses the same wooden spoons .
every inch of the longest - running marionette theater in america—every puppet , every choreographed number , every perfectly placed ribbon—is due to one man and his delightful vision . despite bob baker’s death in november , his legacy lives forever in the painted faces of his beloved marionettes . “when you come here , you feel like you step into a different world , ” says alex evans , the theater’s head puppeteer .
amsterdam marionette theatre : the impresario ( der schauspieldirektor ) - w . a . mozart : gust & mitzi
to friends and staff at the bob baker marionette theater , that ' s hardly enough .
you can knock this place down , i don ' t care ,
evans told me , referring to the ramshackle facility itself . but because the theater ' s current layout and the attached workshop are so unique to the theater - in - the - round - style shows baker pioneered , evans worries that relocating it will be too costly—plus , any potential new location won ' t come with the hard - fought historic - cultural monument status .
in the early 1960s , baker teamed with alton wood to launch the marionette theater . he worked as an adviser to disney and other studios , and was a member of the academy of motion picture arts & sciences as well as the television academy .
the end is not near ,
evans says of the theater , whose weekly performances can be found on the bob baker website .
we are going to keep on putting on shows for people for as long as possible .
marionette operator richard wilson of burbank marched a 50 - year - old , handmade pinocchio puppet before the council .
we love bob baker marionette . it is exactly the same as it was 30 years ago when i first attended a birthday party there . i remember being in awe and loving the show and my kids ( 8 and 9 ) still love to go . we started . . .
the first thing you see in sketch book revue , the hour - long puppet show recently on view at the bob baker marionette theater , is the trio of marionette dogs . they dance onstage to whimsical fairytale music , while kids sitting cross - legged on the carpet gasp in awe . the dogs are followed by a procession of puppets—soldiers , a gingerbread man , a giant clown , and a teddy bear balancing on a rolling beach ball—all maneuvered by a set of marionette strings . there ' s silver tinsel strewn from the ceiling like christmas , but it ' s a thursday morning in march .
i wasn’t sure what my video game and sfx movie loving kids would think of an old time marionette . . .
baker’s theater at 1345 w . 1st st . is a former movie scenery shop that baker and a partner purchased in 1961 and turned into a theater a year later . it has staged puppet shows six days a week ever since , said lanna pian , a lomita resident representing the los angeles conservancy .
as the developers planning to replace the bob baker marionette theater with 104 apartments sharpen their bulldozer blades , the puppets seems to be doing better than ever . baker’s troupe is commemorating their late founder by re - staging classic shows not seen for decades . saturday night is the opening of hooray l . a . ! , a los angeles history - themed show with a gala hosted by silver lake showman charles phoenix . as is the custom of the theater , ice cream will be served in the party room following the show .
now , ruiz plays a much bigger role in the production , controlling marionettes of all shapes and sizes . as he packs up and leaves the emptied theater after the show , ruiz says he would do anything to keep bob baker ' s marionettes going .
the bob baker marionette theater is excited to present subject : los angeles– four nights of l . a . ephemera featuring archival films , guest presenters , music , and puppets that explore hidden threads of l . a . history . april 14th kicks off the first of four programs that surface and interrogate mythologies of los angeles , starting with the idea of los angeles as eden .
the building was eventually sold to property developer eli elimelech , who agreed to lease the theater back to baker until the end of march 2015 , then move to a month - to - month lease . throughout the fall of 2014 , elimelech submitted designs for a five - story mixed - use space encompassing the theater . then , on november 28 , 2014 , at the age of ninety , bob baker passed away .
the bob baker marionette theater , which occupies what is now prime hipster real estate just outside of downtown los angeles , is at the heart of an intense debate about how to preserve the city ' s historic buildings . while the white cinderblock building that holds the theater is itself a time capsule of the 1960s , the neighborhood around it is anything but . nearby downtown and echo park have rapidly gentrified , giving rise to high - density housing and skyrocketing rents .
as long as we do a show tomorrow , bob lives on another day .
— alex evans
elimelech ' s project was made possible because of the theater ' s decline .
the theater was in turmoil at the time . baker was in hospice . ( he died nov . 28 . ) his beloved theater , which opened in 1962 , was struggling financially and had been since 2008 . the property had been sold in 2013 , and the theater ' s lease was widely reported to be up this month .
friends of baker request that donations be made to help supporters preserve his legacy and purchase the building that houses the theater . more information can be found at this link .
about 35 people trickled into the theater halloween morning for the hoop - de - doo puppet show . sheri watson bought her ticket after hearing that the theater might close .
next door to the theater is the storage warehouse where thousands of baker’s marionettes live hanging by strings , each handcrafted and delicately painted . there are laughing clowns , dancing mice , menacing dinosaurs and twinkling fairies . despite baker’s absence , you can’t help but feel he is still here . says evans , “everything we do down here is in honor of bob and his vision . he ' s not gone . ”
the theater , he said , was not a landmark because of its architecture , but because of the artistry that took place inside and baker ' s contribution to the city ' s entertainment industry .
if they can ' t save the original space , theater staffers have talked about the possibility of rehousing the theater elsewhere . the neighborhood ' s zoning laws require residential properties to be mixed - use , so the new building will also have commercial spaces for rent on its first floor . albert , the principal architect , sees it as a silver lining for the bob baker marionette theater , which could opt to sign a new lease on the ground floor of the building . but to evans , the move would be more like a sad consolation prize .
it ' s kind of like having a party next to a gravestone of what it once was ,
he said .
alton wood was the theater ' s founding partner . here he emcees one of the first shows .
alex evans , creative director of the bob baker marionette theater , says the theater ' s status as a historic - cultural monument doesn ' t do nearly enough to preserve and continue its legacy .
the whole thing is a really big misunderstanding of what ' s important , in my mind ,
said evans , a 28 - year - old british transplant and longtime puppeteer who lives up the hill in echo park .
they ' re treating it like an architectural landmark , but it ' s like , no , it ' s a cultural resource , and that ' s what ' s important .
we ' re becoming a non profit so we can better serve the community . we are hosting a series of celebratory performances at our landmark theater to showcase bob ' s legacy and also touring los angeles far and wide with regular travelling shows !
baker’s workshop on santa monica boulevard in hollywood became a magnet for future showbiz stars , including producer bob clampett , stan freberg and daws butler , who who would go on to create a tv sensation locally with the ktla - tv hand puppet series “time for beany . ” in the late 1940s baker also worked in local tv with the series “adventures of bobo . ”
sachs won ' t give away too many spoilers , but he will say that the show is based around the actions of a group of
hacktavists
( think anonymous ) who might be responsible for hijacking a missile test and sending it off course . one of the college - age hacker ' s girlfriends is a theater major and studies puppetry at bob baker .
since then , everyone at the theater has been trying to deal with both the uncertain future and the loss of a friend . alex evans , who was an intern in 2007 before becoming a puppeteer , remembers baker as much more than just a boss : “he was like a grandfather to me . . . bob was the most creative guy i’ve ever met . ”
once the theater ' s lease ends , it will transfer to a month - to - month agreement , making for a tentative existence . baker ' s business has been strained for years , burdened by late mortgage payments and taxes . last year , the theater property was sold to elimelech for about $ 1 . 5 million .
the value of a
cultural resource
is harder to preserve than , say , architecturally significant monuments like the victorian - era bradbury building or frank lloyd wright ' s hollyhock house , both of which are designated historic - cultural monuments and have remarkable facades that effortlessly make the case for preservation . the building that houses the bob baker marionette theater , on the other hand , is so unremarkable that its architect is unknown even to the advocacy group la conservancy , which classifies it in the
vernacular ,
or architecturally modest , everyday style .
there’s a little bit of magic inside the bob baker marionette theater near downtown los angeles . the chandeliers hang from the ceiling , giving off soft light . a bright red curtain protects the surprises that lie behind it . two smiling clowns stand on boxes , greeting all those who enter . despite a few chairs , the audience sits mostly on the floor . there is no stage , ensuring little separation between the audience and performers . soon , the lights fade , the music begins and the red curtain parts , revealing marionettes and strings dancing in near - perfect unison .
what will happen to the theater at this point is murky . the los angeles city council designated it a historic cultural landmark in 2009 . the new developers will have to find a way to incorporate the theater into their plans .
but for all of its magic , there were plenty of hard times , too . baker and wood sold the theater in 1988 , saddled with expenses they could no longer afford . the owner offered to return the property two years later , citing its marginal profitability , and two businessmen who were fans of the theater covered the remaining $ 25 , 000 required to keep its doors open , the la times reported at the time . but richard schuler , baker ' s partner who now owns the business , said the baker had mounds of credit card and mortgage debt that he never recovered from .
while the venue is very outdated , it ' s o . k . because you feel like you are going back in time . real marionette theater is almost gone and this place deserves to be kept going and supported . the show was magical . i heard that many angelenos had their . . .
filming at the theater isn ' t unusual , but evans says the
ncis
shoot was much bigger in scale than anything that had been done before . the show filmed four scenes at the theater over a day and a half .
if it shuts down tomorrow , it sucks , it ' s horrible , but it ' s here right now and it ' s going strong ,
said evans .
it ' s going just as bob wanted it to be . as long as we do a show tomorrow , bob lives on another day .
the architecture of the theater is nothing significant ,
evans says of the boxy white building perched at the corner of glendale boulevard and first street .
it ' s what bob did on the inside — the shows and the cultural impact — that ' s the landmark .
i ' ve been to bob baker a handful of times , once without any kids present ( i took a friend to try and convince him to do a documentary on the theatre ! ) and i always love it . allergy sufferers beware : there is a healthy layer of dust . . .
the theater is a giant vintage christmas present from the 1960s with red velvet from floor to ceiling ,
says sachs , who took his kids , 9 and 4 , to the theater to see a performance of
the nutcracker
in november .
he made the most beautiful things , but he did not know how to pay for it ,
schuler said of baker .
we sounded like a man and wife , screaming about money . bob would say , ' oh i know , i understand , ' and then he ' d go right out and spend every dime he could lay his hands on .
one of the most explosive fights erupted after baker discovered schuler had paid the electric bill in full , using the same money baker had already spent to buy fabric and glue for his puppets , according to schuler .
baker never had children of his own , but as evan remembers , he used to tell people he had 2 , 000 puppets instead .
a well meaning , beloved institution for sure , but sorely in need of a cleaning . it has dust on the curtains and light fixtures that looks like it ' s been there since the 50 ' s ! clean , bob baker people . please . take care of the facility . between that and . . .
baker is an established puppeteer , and with the help of his 3 , 000 handmade marionettes , has been entertaining audiences for over 70 years . baker was a key activist in establishing union status for puppeteers , and his theater serves as a training ground for many puppet - makers who go on to work in fantasy films . with a long history of working in hollywood , baker’s creations have been featured in tv shows such as star trek and bewitched , and films such as bluebeard , a star is born and close encounters of the third kind .
sun . 7 / 22 7 : 00 p . m . when puppets are your only friends presents . . . . escape to witch mountain a comedy - variety adventure , reimagining of the 1975 disney classic , starring your hosts molly fite and jared ramirez and the original puppets from the film ! ! ! fans will remember escape to witch mountain ' s classic marionette sequence puppeteered and puppets fabricated by the one and only bob baker ! this month ' s guests : patrick michael ballard wesley doloris + many more surprising surprises ! !
an l . a . native , baker traveled the world with his famous marionette troupe . his work was featured in prominent films , ranging from disney’s “bedknobs and broomsticks” to steven spielberg’s “close encounters of the third kind” to the 1954 version of “a star is born . ” he was said to have an archive of more than 3 , 000 puppets .
but with the theater ' s lease ending next march , the building ' s owner , eli elimelech , has drawn a blueprint that is more in keeping with changes in the trendy neighborhood — while preserving the spartan - looking little building that baker ' s marionettes call home .
to do this , elimelech will design his mixed - used development to wrap around the theater , saving much of the existing structure . it ' s an unusual approach , but necessary since the theater was designated a historic cultural landmark by the los angeles city council in 2009 .
by november of 2014 , baker was 90 years old and on his deathbed , sick with kidney failure . schuler considered shuttering the business right then and there , but decided to wait until after christmas—the theater ' s busiest season , when up to four shows are scheduled on the weekends .
i want to see if there is a better way to give a better legacy to this man who contributed all his work for years and years ,
barron said .
it was a sad , sad thing to think of a dusty lobby with a picture of bob baker in it . it brought tears to my eyes .
but as the hearing date looms , he and other staffers at the theater are starting to lose hope . in a declaration published march 14 , the city planning department recommended that the project won ' t have any significantly adverse effects on its surrounding community . without baker around to tell his own story , his puppeteers , friends , and fans have been scrambling to devise a campaign to sway the city to leave the theater intact .
when los angeles turned 200 back in 1981 , artists across the city created special birthday tributes . baker’s includes skeletons dancing in the la brea tar pits , an oil derrick kickline , and a neon - lit celebration of hollywood nightlife . longtime theater staff restored the performers and sets from the original show so it could be restaged as part of an entire season honoring the theater’s history . the all - ages show will be performed daily through may 29 .
when schuler and baker first started working together , he says they ' d do four shows a day . by 2000 , they were doing one a day , then one every three days , if that . things only got worse when baker ' s health began to collapse in the late 2000s , restricting his ability to work and cutting his theater visits down to about once a month . in baker ' s absence , schuler stepped in , attempting to cut costs any way he knew how , even if it meant laying off employees and slashing the building ' s maintenance budget . in 2013 , they sold the property to elimeleich .
[ baker ] gave his whole life to this . to see it taken down and destroyed with a plaque , it ' s just so insulting and demeaning ,
said bils , the teacher and decades - long patron of the theater .
that ' s the worst thing i can think of .
our theater is directly under the beverly street bridge / 1st st . bridge , near belmont high school and six blocks west of the disney music hall .
sachs ' son made his first appearance as an extra . when his meager paycheck arrived , he asked sachs if he could donate it to the theater .
baker , 85 , was performing a series of previously scheduled shows in paramount as the council recognized what it was told is the country’s longest - running puppetry showcase .
since baker’s passing , there has been plenty of talk about finding ways to bring more attention—and money—to the theater , through fundraisers , new shows , and even the revival of long - lost masterpieces . one such masterpiece might be la ole , first performed during los angeles’ centennial in 1981 and last seen on stage in the ’90s . “it was the history of l . a . done through puppets . it was supposedly bob ' s masterpiece , but i ' ve never seen it , ” said evans . asked if the show could see the lights of theater again , evans explains that they are trying to make that happen , depending on the resources they can muster , notably time and money .
but , he said , he doesn ' t know how much longer a theater that has been struggling financially for years can keep the curtains from coming down .
the original publicity for this cinematic assault announced
the forces of evil stalk their prey into the audience . so , is there a better place to screen this immersive nightmare than in a theater where puppets and performers also interact with the patrons ? that ' s right , not only will we be showing this cursed cult classic ( a film that must be seen to be disbelieved ) , but there will also be a pre - show featuring the enchanted bob baker marionettes and an dream - like solo performance by master puppeteer , eli zachary socoloff presser .
the theater also houses the nonprofit academy of puppetry and allied arts , where high school students from the inner city are taught the art of puppetry , she said .
i just want to have the plan ready for the building ,
elimelech said .
the theater will still be operating . it is still surviving .
while developers have proposed demolishing much of the historically designated theater and converting the performance space into an elevator lobby , the puppeteers are pushing for the show to go on . they have been working with city planners and property owners to maintain theater operations on the site . the planning commission is scheduled to discuss the project later this month .
just as it was 40 years ago , children ( and some adults ) gather in a circle on the floor of the 200 - person shoebox theater , where they sit and watch baker’s creations come to life . for a little over an hour , baker and roughly 8 other puppeteer students , dressed in all black , weave the marionettes around their audience . the puppets , dressed in bright ensembles , fly and dance to the charming soundtrack of old phonograph records , complete with scratches and the warm hiss of analog audio .
in 2012 , baker was forced to sell the building to pay off late mortgage payments and taxes —a sum that had reached nearly $ 2 million . as baker explained to the los angeles times , “we ' ve put everything up for sale . the people with the mortgage said if you don ' t do that , we ' re going to foreclose . ”
i wasn’t sure what my video game and sfx movie loving kids would think of an old time marionette show but they loved it ! they got to sprawl on the floor as hundreds of elaborate , creative puppets pranced around , sometimes flouncing into their laps . adults . . .
we came to enjoy the bob baker day festival this morning and it was packed ! lots of free activities to check out - cool booths with crafts for kids , shopping with quirky arty jewelry / clothes / paintings , bubbles station , music stage , performance stage , pie n burger and border grill trucks . you can also purchase tickets for a show at the box office . a very happy place to be with your kiddo !
though the shows cater to a mostly young audience , many adults have referred to the performances as “psychedelic . ” the dizzying colors and interactive experience have given the theater a reputation for non - linear , off - beat performances . indeed , baker is known to weave disco scenes into the nutcracker , and incorporates many sci - fi alien themes into his halloween spooktacular .
many years ago i saw a marionette show . the marionettes performed on a stage with the puppeteers above them . you never saw the puppeteers during the show . it was a play done with marionettes . it was very well done and very professional . that ' s what i . . .
we took our granddaughter , age 6 , to see the marionette show . she was unsure about it when we got there - as were we . yes , the building looks old and the area is somewhat run down . once inside , we had a great time . the staff . . .
more than 9 million viewers are expected to tune in at 10 p . m . monday , when the cbs show reveals the inside of the theater and the workings of its vintage craft .
it has never happened that the theater has been a part of the story , at least not in my time here ,
says evans , who signed on as a volunteer in 2007 .
new developments like marionette square are emblematic of the changes rolling through echo park , fueling concerns over gentrification in the area . young college graduates continue to flow in , pushing out working - class immigrant families . the neighborhood ' s immigrant population has dropped nearly 15 % since 1990 , according to 2010 census figures .
the theater was built in 1953 and believed to have been constructed as a studio for academy award - winning special - effects artist , m . b . paul . it was purchased by baker and wood in 1961 , where it has remained as a window - less warehouse in a somewhat rundown area of town . despite its unassuming white facade , the interior is decorated with red velvet drapes and grand chandeliers .
bob baker’s “enchanted toyshop” is a magnificent vision of a toy store come to life . originally staged as “toyland review” in 1963 , this whimsical and imaginative production intended to make real the fantasies of every child who has ever experienced the wonder of playing with a toy . from animated cuckoo clocks to tumbling teddy bears , from jack - in - the - boxes to wooden soldiers , “enchanted toyshop” is a universal exploration of the childlike wonder and fantasy that kids of all ages should embrace and envision .
baker’s interest in puppetry was sparked at the age of 5 when he saw a puppet show at a downtown los angeles department store . within a few years he was studying the art and competing in local talent shows .
tentatively named marionette square , elimelech ' s new complex would span over much of the existing building . the development would hold about 100 apartments , as well as a strip of commercial space for retailers , according to steve albert , the project architect . between 5 and 10 % of the units would be reserved for affordable housing .
he says the theater ' s lease is not up this month and that it will continue operating for the next year or so until the property ' s owners break ground on a mixed - use development .
great for your kids . we ' ve been checking out the bob baker marrionette show that were free in pasadena and my son and daughter were amazed by the marrionettes . we took them to the circus show and it was an awesome show . my 8 month old paid attention for about 45 min and my 2 . 5 yo the entire show . they loved the show . my hubby and i had a few chuckles too . the puppets at the show are nicer than the ones they take to the free show , so even if you ' ve seen the free show , it is worthwhile to go to the puppet show at the theater . the ice cream after the show is prepackaged and my son did not like it . a plus for me .
despite the theater’s 50 - plus years in business , its financial situation has always been precarious . the building has faced foreclosure numerous times , including in 1992 and 2008 . in 2009 , the theater was designated los angeles historic - cultural monument # 958 , but even that , according to la’s office of historic resources , doesn’t necessarily prevent it from being destroyed . it only means the local government can “delay demolition in order to create opportunities for preservation solutions to emerge . ”
i highly recommend taking your little ones to this show . i even enjoyed it ! it was a little tricky getting there due to all of the construction and we missed the parking lot but there is street parking in the surrounding areas . it ' s a 45 min . marionette show ( think of puppets on a string ) which is a perfect amount of time for little ones . my 6 yo enjoyed the job especially the puppet dogs . the puppeteers are so skilled and really bring them to life . afterwards there is free ice cream in the next room . it ' s a playful room with lots of color and pictures of the staff and the founder , bob baker . the puppeteers come and show the puppets up close to the kids . it gives a nice opportunity to ask questions about the show and the puppets . you can also purchase puppets for $ 5 . the show is affordable so if you can , go and support the arts !
elimelech and albert have been asked to estimate how much renovations would cost , both with and without preserving the theater ' s architecture . the commission will determine whether it is possible to create an endowment or nonprofit organization to help fund the performances .
elimelech says he isn ' t sure when he will begin building . the 90 - year - old baker , who is in hospice care , can no longer tend to his puppets , but the puppeteers plan to put on shows for as long as they can .
it ' s an art ,
said molly damecourt , 37 , who came to the theater for the first time with her toddler son , pruitt , on halloween morning .
in the age of technology it ' s nice to have something that is so hands - on .
for that reason , he ' s spent the last several months urging anyone and everyone who ' s ever been to a show at the theater to write a letter to the city conveying its importance . the public comments will be considered in advance of a may hearing to review the developers ' permit application and determine whether the proposed project will have an impact on its surrounding culture and environment . best - case scenario—short of winning the power ball and buying the building back , evans said—is to convince the city and developer to keep the theater in operation , rather than covert it into an obsolete lobby .
humor rose naturally from the scenario . ll cool j ' s character , sam hanna , has an established clown phobia , and when he and o ' donnell ' s character arrive at the theater to interview the suspect ' s girlfriend , they are greeted by a 12 - foot clown out front .
stephen albert , the principal architect at the albert group architects , which is designing the building that may one day replace the theater , points out that city and state preservation laws have been written specifically to preserve buildings , rather than ideas .
how do you preserve the idea ?
he said .
how do you preserve the function ? well , you can ' t .
in lieu of preserving the function of the theater , albert told me his client plans to install puppet displays and photography exhibits in the lobby of the apartment complex , so that
anybody who goes into the building will become aware of what happened there in the past .
as of now , elimelech and his architects have agreed to build on top of the theater , keeping the main space intact—but the kitchen , office space , and the puppet workshop will all be bulldozed , according to the developer ' s proposal to the city , and the performance area would be converted into the lobby of the apartment complex .
the theater will continue to stage shows throughout the coming months , and will pay rent to the new owner while the architecture firm attempts to pass inspections and obtain permits . if all goes to plan , albert says construction could begin by the end of 2016 , and the apartment itself could be housing new tenants as soon as summer 2018 .
baker graduated from hollywood high school and served in the army air corps during wwii , when he worked at lockheed aircraft in burbank . after his discharge , he worked for the george pal animation studios . amid labor unrest , he left pal and began marketing his own line of marionettes . he created window displays for prominent retailers around the country — and he did the same for storefront windows on disneyland’s main street , usa .
came here for a bday and my two year old daughter was enchanted by the holiday marionette show ! most of the staff took the performance very seriously and seem to work hard at their craft . prior to the show the showroom was empty and just filled with balloons and the kids got to run and throw balloons around to get some energy out before sitting quietly to enjoy the show . parking is $ 5 cash only in their lot ( no attendant ) , otherwise it was fairly easy to find street parking nearby . even at a young age kids seem to be addicted to iphones and games , but don ' t write off the simple magic of a puppet show !
baker was also one of the first to popularize a cabaret style of puppetry for children , in which the puppeteers are incorporated into the show , rather than hiding behind set pieces . during his shows , it ' s not uncommon for the puppets to get up close and personal with their audience . in the sketch book revue , for example , a pair of ostriches wag their tails and snap their beaks just inches from the crowd ' s faces ; a slinky black cat dressed as a jazz singer swishes her way into children ' s laps ; clowns on unicycles lean in for surprise embraces .
for now , though , evans and the puppeteers are busy preparing for a jam - packed month of performances of hooray la , another circa - 1960s puppet show , this time an ode to the great city of los angeles . there are dinosaur marionettes that melt into the la brea tar pits and earthquake set pieces that shake up the stage , brought to life with tiny strings and hand - carved wooden parts . it ' s the sort of show only baker could have written , with his lifelong knowledge of the city and its history—the kind of history his staff fears may soon be forgotten .
“at age 85 , he’s still the star of his company , ” explained puppeteer steve meltzer , owner of a santa monica puppetry center and president of the los angeles guild of puppetry . “there are performances where his presence is requested . ”
meltzer waltzed his song - and - dance - man figure named calvin collidisworth across the council desk as echo park puppeteer christine papalexis pranced a dog character called fluffy .
“i got to bark at bernard parks , ” papalexis said afterward . “that was cool . he asked , ‘does he bite ? ’
“pinocchio asked if they were lying , was their nose growing , ” wilson said . “mr . [ ed ] reyes said no , they were all honest . mrs . [ janice ] hahn said no one is pulling her strings . ”
© copyright 2018 variety media , llc , a subsidiary of penske business media , llc . variety and the flying v logos are trademarks of variety media , llc . powered by urltoken vip
we are located in beautiful downtown los angeles at the merging corners of 1st street , 2nd street , and glendale blvd .
the most common problem is finding yourself on beverly blvd . , going over the beverly street bridge and into or away from downtown .
street parking is available , but limited . we encourage you to arrive early .
there is a pay lot on glendale blvd . paybox cost is $ 5 . 00 - cash only please be prepared to write your license plate number or space number on an envelope for payment provided at the paybox at the lot entrance on glendale blvd .
starting with song and dance in historic olvera st . with dinosaurs and skeletons , all the way through the limelight of hollywood ! the show transports its audience with scenery crafted by john leland and spectacular light effects designed by richard shuler . the show brings life to the people and places of the city of angels !
for a limited time only , experience the 1933 earthquake , the development of the la freeways , the arrival of radio - all is its most entertaining form – through a puppet show .
to provide unique theatrical experiences ; to educate , to celebrate , to rejuvenate puppetry and the allied arts .
adults + children over 2 - $ 15 . 00 • children under 2 are free !
make you feel like you are part of the show . also , seeing all the kids having that much fun was entertaini
gotta come and check this out , and a bonus . . . there ' s ice cream after the show ! ! !
n in la . the staff are amazing artists . the puppets are original and in pristine condition .
it a great show and the kids loved it . at the end they gave us free ice cream �
this place has history and very unique . it is small but cute , went to the halloween show and it was awesome . very cool and kids liked it . i recommend and the staff was so friendly .
i love it ! thought it had closed a few uears ago . have to take my grzndchild
and now for the greatest show in puppet history !
the circus
rumbles into town this weekend starting sat . 3 / 31 through sun . 6 / 10 ! are you ready for our 1948 sawdust spectacular ? tickets at www . bobbakermarionettetheater . com ! # bobbakermarionettetheater # thecircus # comingsoon # easterweekend # puppetshow # springbreak2018
tonight 3 / 25 ! 7pm ! it ' ll be a mystical magical laugh out loud eve in the woods with when puppets are your only friends ! st . puppets day is on its way . . . with a little luck ! tickets at www . bobbakermarionettetheater . com ! * parental discretion advised . # bobbakermarionettetheater # whenpuppetsareyouronlyfriends # varietyshow
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interline brands , inc. , headquartered in jacksonville , florida , is one of the largest wholesale distributors and direct marketers of maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products for non-industrial businesses in the united states .

interline brands distributes a broad range of products such as hvac , janitorial supplies , plumbing supplies and security supplies .

interline brands was established in 1978 formerly known as wilmar industries , founded by william s. green .

gradually interline brands diversified their customer base through the acquisitions of sexauer , trayco , barnett , u.s. lock , leran gas products , maintenance usa , hardware express and janitorial supply distributors amsan , cleansource and janpak .

in 2015 interline brands merged five of its janitorial brands into one unified brand called supplyworks .

on july 22 , 2015 the home depot acquired interline brands for $ 1.6 billion .

interline brands

glassdoor has 165 interline brands reviews submitted anonymously by interline brands employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if interline brands is right for you .
glassdoor has 3 interline brands reviews submitted anonymously by interline brands employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if interline brands is right for you .
currently , there are no operations manager jobs available at interline brands . you may wish to explore other locations and job titles at interline brands on the interline brands production and ops jobs page or view related jobs below .
home depot to buy interline brands for $ 1 . 63 billion | home depot met la main sur interline brands pour 1 , 63 milliard de dollars
interline brands , inc . is a leading distributor and direct marketer with headquarters in
is stacey forshey the only contact you have for interline brands , inc . ?
interline brands , inc . brentwood ny ( dba u . s . lock )
copyright © interline brands , inc . 2010 - 2017 . all rights reserved .
is ray peliter the only contact you have for interline brands , inc . ?
interline brands announced the launch of a new national brand , supplyworks ( urltoken ) .
supplyworks was created by interline brands to integrate five separate brands interline owns — amsan , cleansource , janpak , trayco , and sexauer — into a single national presence . those brands all serve the commercial / institutional space .
the name tells a lot about this business . interline brands is an amalgam of distribution companies serving different markets . their administration is intermingled , but each has a different marketing plan based on distinct customer segments . also noteworthy is that interline regards its operating units as brands unto themselves . thus , the name interline brands rather than “interline companies … interline group … interline , inc . ”
benefit information is collected from job descriptions and reviews about interline brands on indeed . com .
interline brands , inc . in florence , sc - ( 843 ) 669 - 5462 - profile
we have 10 contacts for interline brands , inc . , including 6 contacts with email addresses .
contracting profile : interline brands , inc . brentwood ny ( dba u . s . lock )
interline brands , inc . in auburn , ma - ( 508 ) 795 - 7600 - profile
our exclusive brands of mro products keep costs to a minimum while delivering quality and performance comparable to national brands .
interline brands , inc . announces promotion of kenneth d . sweder to executive vice president and chief operating officer
interline brands us lock . locksmith - marietta , ga . projects , photos , reviews and more | porch
interline brands , inc . is the only company located at 40 a ballard st , auburn , ma 01501
the average salary for interline brands operations manager is $ 92 , 832 per year , ranging from $ 85 , 694 to $ 99 , 363 . compare more salaries for interline brands operations manager at paysa . com .
interline brands is a major leader in the northeast florida technology industry . watch a short video on our contributions .
interline brands , inc . is the only company located at 1307 e national cemetery rd , florence , sc 29506
interline brands inc . announced the purchase of janpak inc . for $ 82 . 5 million in a tuesday news release .
interline brands is a leading direct marketer and distributor of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products .
interline brands inc aka wilmar industries major household appliances is one of a number of businesses situated in farmington hills , michigan .
the home depot ( hd ) expects to finalize its acquisition of interline brands by 3q16 . currently , interline brands is partly owned by private equity firms goldman sachs capital partners ( gs ) and p2 capital partners , llc and by company management .
tom tossavainen of interline brands , inc . , + 1 - 904 - 421 - 1441 / web site : urltoken /
the home depot expects additional revenue from existing customers as well as a sales upside from interline brands’ customer base . interline’s capabilities appear to be complementary to hd and a good strategic fit .
after 17 years with interline brands inc . and 13 years at the helm , ceo michael grebe is retiring from the company .
home depot’s $ 1 . 625 billion acquisition of jacksonville - based interline brands inc . signals a bigger push into the professional contractor market , with the atlanta company building upon interline’s distribution network .
currently there are no reviews for ' interline brands inc aka wilmar industries ' . be the first to write a review for them !
in july 2015 , home depot made its largest acquisition , a $ 1 . 625 billion , cash deal to buy interline brands .
just a few months after interline brands consolidated several of its brands into one , supplyworks , the company said it is already noticing success in the form of more customers , more revenue and a streamlined system .
acquisition of interline brands , inc . , a leading national distributor and direct marketer of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products . the agreement to acquire interline was previously announced on
grebe , meanwhile , wants people to know that he ' s “retiring from interline brands , ” phrasing that was intentional on his part .
interline offers facilities maintenance as well as repair services and products to home and commercial customers through brands such as supplyworks , hardwareexpress and barnett .
at interline brands , a $ 630 million distributor of maintenance and repair products , she feels fortunate to work in a company that believes in the role data can play in catalog marketing . among interline’s catalog brands are barnett , wilmar , sexauer , maintenance usa and hardware express .
interline brands , which also operates under the name trayco , is located in florence , south carolina . this organization primarily operates in the plumbing and hydronic heating supplies business / industry within the wholesale trade - durable goods sector . interline brands employs approximately 30 people at this branch location .
interline brands , which also operates under the name hardware express , is located in auburn , massachusetts . this organization primarily operates in the plumbing and hydronic heating supplies business / industry within the wholesale trade - durable goods sector . interline brands employs approximately 73 people at this branch location .
shopping exclusive brands from hardware express is an easy , bottom line - friendly way to minimize inventory costs while receiving quality and performance comparable to national brands .
the interline brands name is only four years old and not as well known in the phcp industry as some of its constituent companies . they include :
interline brands inc . has agreed to buy nearly all assets of a national janitorial and sanitary supplies distributor for $ 127 . 5 million in cash .
how much do interline brands employees make ? glassdoor has salaries , wages , tips , bonuses , and hourly pay based upon employee reports and estimates .
famous brands and rgr canada inc . we are a smoking accessories company working with major entertainment brands like snoop dogg , the trailer park boys & . . .
the home depot® , the world ' s largest home improvement retailer , announced on july 21 its pending acquisition of interline brands , inc . , parent company of copperfield chimney supply . interline brands is a leading national distributor and direct marketer of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products .
operations manager salaries at interline brands can range from $ 53 , 119 - $ 82 , 550 . this estimate is based upon 2 interline brands operations manager salary report ( s ) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods . see all operations manager salaries to learn how this stacks up in the market .
the average interline brands salary ranges from approximately $ 25 , 495 per year for warehouse worker to $ 93 , 225 per year for senior operations manager . average interline brands hourly pay ranges from approximately $ 11 . 33 per hour for picker / packer to $ 16 . 72 per hour for warehouse / driver .
marketing analyst salaries at interline brands can range from $ 34 , 697 - $ 37 , 772 . this estimate is based upon 1 interline brands marketing analyst salary report ( s ) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods . see all marketing analyst salaries to learn how this stacks up in the market .
interline brands us lock , based in marietta , is a locksmith company that provides key replacement , emergency lockout , and lock installation as well as other services .
warehouse operations manager salaries at interline brands can range from $ 90 , 240 - $ 98 , 052 . this estimate is based upon 1 interline brands warehouse operations manager salary report ( s ) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods . see all warehouse operations manager salaries to learn how this stacks up in the market .
assistant marketing manager salaries at interline brands can range from $ 48 , 374 - $ 52 , 412 . this estimate is based upon 1 interline brands assistant marketing manager salary report ( s ) provided by employees or estimated based upon statistical methods . see all assistant marketing manager salaries to learn how this stacks up in the market .
interline is owned by goldman sachs capital partners , p2 capital partners llc and management .
sweder said now , with the customers dealing with one brand , the process is seamless and allows for a better relationship between interline brands and those they sell to . the brands that will be subsumed under the supplyworks name are amsan , cleansource , janpak , trayco and sexauer .
company executives clearly regard barnett as a jewel among the interline brands . this has encouraged them to embark on a program to capture business that had been largely written off in the past .
interline brands is a direct marketer and distributor of maintenance , repair and operations products . these products include plumbing , electrical , hardware , security hardware , heating , ventilation and air conditioning and other related items . the company s customer base crosses many markets , such as multiple family housing , education , lodging , health care facilities , professional contractors , hardware stores and other distributors . interline brands markets and sells its products through eight targeted brands , which include wilmar , barnett , hardware express , sunstar lighting , sexauer , u . s . lock , maintenance u . s . a . , copperfield and leran . interline brands is headquartered in jacksonville , fla .
ceo michael grebe has had interline brands ' succession plan in mind for some time , but as his retirement date looms , he has begun to reflect on his almost two decades of service .
acquired by the home depot in 2015 , interline brands is among america’s largest distributors and direct marketers of maintenance , repair , and operations ( mro ) products , both branded and private label .
home depot annonce l ' acquisition d ' interline brands , distributeur de produits de maintenance et de réparation basé à jacksonville ( floride ) , pour un montant de 1625 millions de dollars en numéraire .
each brand segment has unique skus , of course , but interline derives efficiencies from stocking many items sold by more than one brand . a picker in one of interline ' s 56 distribution centers may not know whether a given fixture or fitting is a barnett or a wilmar product until the label gets slapped on at the shipping desk . interline also sells 14 private - label brands within its brands . for instance , trayco is a regional offshoot of sexauer popular in the south and southeast .
“over the last decade , interline has acquired , created , and developed some of the industry’s very best facilities maintenance brands , capabilities , technologies , teams , and products . today , we’re uniting five of these top brands under one national banner , and solidifying our leadership position in the institutional facilities maintenance market .
, ceo of interline brands .
in addition , our associates are thrilled to be joining a great company with a similar culture and values . we ' re looking forward to a great future .
we ' re thrilled for our customers and employees that interline brands and the home depot have agreed to join forces ,
said michael grebe , chairman & ceo , interline .
we ' re confident they all will benefit from this next exciting stage in our company ' s history .
we ' re thrilled for our customers and employees that interline brands and the home depot have agreed to join forces ,
said michael grebe , chairman & ceo of interline .
we ' re confident they all will benefit from this next exciting stage in our company ' s history .
sia is progressively developing an innovative multi - brand strategy . while it is hardly the first or leading airline group from asia pacific to have both full service and low cost brands its portfolio of four brands is unique .
interline brands is redefining facility maintenance supply value . approaching $ 2 billion in sales , we ' re a large - scale , national distributor delivering maintenance products , solutions and focused expertise to three customer segments :
jacksonville , fl - based mro distributor interline brands , no . 17 on industrial distribution ' s 2014 big 50 list , made a major announcement monday with the launch of a new national brand , supplyworks .
interline was born with a consolidation strategy in mind . its predecessor , wilmar industries , then a public company , started the ball rolling with the purchase of sexauer in 1999 . in may 2000 , the company was taken private in a leveraged buyout , and the wilmar corporate identity gave way to interline brands , although the wilmar brand name was retained . in september of that year , interline bought barnett .
interline has received commitments for debt financing from lehman brothers and jp morgan . interline also expects to refinance existing debt , including its 11 . 5 percent senior subordinated notes that are due in 2011 .
the launch of supplyworks creates a “leading national and integrated institutional business , ” said michael grebe , interline’s chairman and ceo , in a press release . “over the last decade , interline has acquired , created and developed some of the industry’s very best facilities maintenance brands , capabilities , technologies , teams and products .
the acquisition is expected to be accretive to fiscal 2016 earnings . hd expects the interline brands acquisition to contribute $ 0 . 01 to fiscal 2016 earnings per share ( or eps ) , according to carol tome , the company’s cfo ( chief financial officer ) , on the 2q16 earnings call . hd can also expect synergies from the deal going forward , as ~ 42 % of the supplier base overlaps with interline brands .
interline brands , inc . is a leading national distributor and direct marketer with headquarters in jacksonville , florida . interline provides maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products to a diversified customer base made up of professional contractors , facilities maintenance professionals , and specialty distributors across north america , the caribbean and central america .
interline brands is a large - scale , national distributor delivering maintenance products , solutions and focused expertise to institutional and commercial facility owners , commercial and residential service contractors , as well as commercial property managers . supplyworks™ is their new institutional brand which combines the market expertise of amsan® , janpak , cleansource , trayco and sexaur® to become the leading broad - line national provider of integrated facility maintenance solutions . the wilmar® and maintenance usa® brands serve multifamily housing facilities customers with everyday repair and maintenance solutions . and the barnett® , copperfield , u . s . lock® , hardware express® and leran® brands serve residential customers through a combination of specialty brands and professional contractor and wholesaler brands .
grebe said interline has followed amsan for several years and was attracted by its brand recognition , national distribution area and comprehensive private label program . he said interline also liked amsan ' s experienced management team .
interline brands , inc . is a leading international distributor and direct marketer with headquarters in jacksonville , florida . interline provides maintenance , repair and operations products to a diversified customer base made up of professional contractors , facilities maintenance professionals , and specialty distributors primarily throughout the united states , canada , the caribbean and central america .
“i have every confidence in the world that interline will be immensely successful teamed up with home depot , ” grebe said in an internal memo to interline staff . “our cultures are very similar and aligned . ”
all those operational changes should pay off in big ways for interline brands , grebe said , helping catapult the company to compete even further with large public companies in this industry , such as grainger industrial supply and hd supply .
supplyworks™ is our new institutional brand which combines the market expertise of amsan® , janpak , cleansource , trayco and sexaur® to become the leading broad - line national provider of integrated facility maintenance solutions . the wilmar® and maintenance usa® brands serve our multifamily housing facilities customers with everyday repair and maintenance solutions . and the barnett® , copperfield , u . s . lock® , hardware express® and leran® brands serve our residential customers through a combination of specialty brands and professional contractor and wholesaler brands .
interline brands inc . , a national distributor and direct marketer of electrical supplies and other maintenance , repair and operations products , said its newly formed corporation has filed for an initial public offering of the parent ' s common stock .
) said it agreed to buy home repair and maintenance products seller interline brands inc [ ishldi . ul ] for about $ 1 . 63 billion in cash to expand its pro division , which caters to professional contractors and builders .
note : the home depot private and exclusive brands and store purchases are not eligible for special pricing or contracted volume discounts .
interline brands reported its 2014 fourth quarter and full year financials on feb . 25 , which included a q4 year - over - year sales increase of 6 . 6 percent and net loss of $ 9 . 6 million . for the full year , interline had a 4 . 9 percent sales increase and net loss of $ 47 million .
interline brands has quietly built up its electrical product offering . the company bought florida lighting inc . , a distributor of specialty lighting and electrical products in pompano beach , in 2003 . its foray into the electrical market is bolstered by a stable of well - known electrical brands and includes products from thomas & betts , westinghouse , square d , ge , eagle / cooper wiring devices , steel city , carlon , leviton and pass & seymour . interline brands sells these products and other mro supplies through catalogs and web sites operated by its wilmar , barnett , hardware express and maintenance usa business .
orlando , fl – ( august 29 , 2015 ) – solaris paper served as a platinum sponsor ( booth # 1018 ) for the interline brands 2015 annual partner conference ( apc ) held august 26 - 28 in orlando , fl .
just about a year ago home depot completed its $ 1 . 63 billion acquisition of interline brands , one of the largest mro distributors in the country ( no . 19 on industrial distribution ' s 2015 big 50 list ) . the acquisition caused many in our industry wondering how interline would fit into the plans of the giant home improvement chain .
scoot’s entry to guangzhou will result in no less than 12 routes being served by three sia group brands . singapore - male became the 11th route with three brands on 26 - oct - 2015 , when silkair began operating four weekly frequencies to male .
interline expects the acquisition to add approximately 2 cents per share to earnings for the second half of fiscal 2006 .
interline sells more than 160 , 000 products , with almost half of them used for janitorial and sanitation work .
interline brands , inc . is a leading distributor and direct marketer with headquarters in jacksonville , florida . as one of the largest national distributors of broad - line facilities maintenance , repair and operations products in north america , interline serves more than 175 , 000 customer locations and holds leading market positions in the institutional , multi - family housing and residential end - markets . interline is currently owned by goldman sachs capital partners , p2 capital partners , llc and management .
interline does employ a field sales force of over 400 representatives for certain brands , including barnett in some areas where customer density can justify it . that effort is headed by vice president , field sales fred bravo . but flyers and phone calls comprise the bulk of interline ' s marketing , as the staggering numbers reported a couple of paragraphs ago attest .
interline brands — which services the capitol and senate buildings and supplies the pentagon with trash bags — is looking to streamline its connection with customers and suppliers .
it ' s easier to grow one brand instead of five ,
grebe said .
interline brands , the massive direct distributor of maintenance repair products — hvac , janitorial supplies , lighting fixtures — is ubiquitous , although you wouldn ' t know it . its effects are far - reaching ; hidden to the normal public bathroom user .
interline brands , inc . is a leading distributor and direct marketer with headquarters in jacksonville , florida . interline provides broad - line mro products to a diversified facilities maintenance customer base of institutional , multi - family housing and residential customers located primarily throughout north america , central america and the caribbean . for more information , visit the company ' s website at urltoken .
interline was formed through a series of mergers that combined over 20 companies in the plumbing supply and facilities maintenance industries .
interline brands was a decent company to work for , but local management needed some improvement . management had a lack of leadership and discipline skills . when home depot acquired them , all the current employees thought a lot of things would improve . . .
the pace of change at the cutting edge of the retail industry is such that brands often find themselves struggling to keep up . (
supplyworks represents the unification of five of interline ' s brands ─ amsan , cleansource , janpak , trayco and sexauer - under one national brand . the supplyworks brand will include over 140 , 000 products , spanning plumbing and cleaning supplies to hvac , electrical and other maintenance and repair products . with over 3 , 000 supply partners , supplyworks features branded products from georgia - pacific , 3m , diversey care , kimberly - clark , kohler , schlage and spartan , as well as interline ' s own exclusive brands .
interline said the brand will include more than 900 facility and maintenance experts and customer support professionals to serve its customer base .
jacksonville , fla . , october 20 , 2008 / prnewswire - firstcall / - - interline brands , inc . ( nyse : ibi ) (
interline
or the
company
) , a leading distributor and direct marketer of maintenance , repair and operations products , today announced the promotion of kenneth d . sweder to executive vice president and chief operating officer , effective immediately .
our capabilities feature global sourcing and merchandising that ensure the right product breadth of over 150 , 000 products , delivered within innovative supply chain solutions that reduce costs and improve productivity . interline brands ' robust technology and ecommerce platforms make it an internet retailer top 100 company .
home depot inc ( hd . n ) said it agreed to buy home repair and maintenance products seller interline brands inc [ ishldi . ul ] for about $ 1 . 63 billion in cash to expand its pro division , which caters to professional contractors and builders . (
heading up interline ' s marketing effort for all brands is vice president of marketing pam maxwell , another airgas veteran . she spent 17 years with the industrial distributor , and had been president of one of its subsidiaries prior to joining her former colleagues grebe and sanford in 2001 .
jacksonville , fla . , feb . 25 , 2015 ( globe newswire ) - - interline brands , inc . (
interline
or the
company
) , a leading distributor and direct marketer of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations (
mro
) products to the facilities maintenance end - market , reported sales and earnings for the fiscal quarter and year ended december 26 , 2014 .
we live , think and breathe our clients ' brands in order to understand their unique needs and ensure their ultimate and continued success . . . .
with 100 , 000 + quality plumbing , electrical , hardware , janitorial and hvac products , interline brands , inc . equips more than 175 , 000 customers for success . as part of the home depot family of companies , we are looking to connect associates with exceptional career opportunities .
large scale buyers such as perry ellis , royal caribbean , disney and interline brands are already signed up for the third business matchmaking forum to be held by procolombia in miami on may 14th and 15th as part of procolombia ' s strategy to exploit the fta with the united states .
and of course , one of those options is to continue acquiring , something that has worked so well for interline in the past .
at interline brand ' s launch event for its new supplyworks brand — which included fireworks and a promotional video on the video boards at everbank field — the company ' s management praised the employees for all the work and preparation that went into combining its five leading brands into one name .
mr . sweder will manage the company ' s merchandising , inventory and distribution activities , and will direct the sales and marketing of certain key brands . he will also work with michael grebe , interline ' s chairman and chief executive officer , to oversee the firm ' s corporate development efforts .
“it ' s often said of a distribution company that its most important assets go home every night , ” grebe comments . “so when you buy a company , hopefully you ' re acquiring good people who have good relationships with good customers . any time you change the name , you change the relationship . so we integrate in such a way as to apply the full power of interline brands - our buying power , distribution network , products , proprietary systems - without interrupting that relationship . ” interline has also done numerous “tuck - in” acquisitions over the years , which have been integrated with existing brands .
i want to thank mike and the board for this opportunity ,
said mr . sweder .
i look forward to building on the company ' s heritage and past success in my new role . interline brands is positioned well as an industry leader with many strong brands and a solid balance sheet . we can make the company even stronger by executing the profit and efficiency improvement initiatives we announced last quarter , and by further developing market growth opportunities .
sia recently began selling scoot operated flights and is now looking at also forging an interline arrangement with tigerair . placing full service and even premium passengers on budget brands was previously unthinkable for sia but has become a necessary and sensible step as scoot and tigerair give the group access to over 20 additional destinations .
the world’s largest home improvement retailer completed a $ 1 . 63 billion acquisition of interline brands , inc . , a leading national distributor and direct marketer of maintenance , repair and operations products . interline’s extensive local distribution network of more than 90 locations across the united states , canada and puerto rico allowed for the delivery of its maintenance , repair and operations products . headquartered in florida , interline serves more than 175 , 000 customer locations and holds market presence in institutional , multi - family housing and residential markets . the deal boosted home depot’s pro division that caters to professional contractors and builders .
interline ceo michael grebe said buying amsan fits his company ' s strategy of
acquiring businesses with leadership positions in attractive facilities maintenance markets .
the jacksonville company will likely retain the interline identity as a subsidiary of home depot , a spokeswoman said , with the executive team staying intact .
in addition to copperfield chimney supply , interline’s companies include supplyworks , wilmar , maintenance usa , barnett pro contractor supplies , hardware express , u . s . lock and leran gas products . interline is currently owned by goldman sachs capital partners , p2 capital partners , llc and management . .
these three brands combine for about 70 % of interline ' s revenues . two smaller companies , hardware express , servicing independent hardware stores , and maintenance usa , targeting the low - end facilities maintenance market , also sell some plumbing supplies . collectively , about 49 per cent of interline ' s sales come from plumbing products , with another 3 per cent from hvac . the latter is a sector barnett only recently began servicing and is targeted for growth .
meeting the needs of a highly diverse customer base – from professional contractors to multifamily residence managers , commercial business service contractors and institutional facilities managers – requires a multi - faceted approach , and a lot of talented people . interline accomplishes exceptional end - to - end service through a family of brands which includes :
but at least for now the sia group has maintained it intends to keep all four brands and has no plans for acquiring the remaining 44 % share in tigerair .
ken ' s experience , knowledge of the distribution industry , and his significant contributions since joining interline last year have made his promotion well deserved ,
said mr . grebe .
ken has been an invaluable asset to our team . his leadership , focus on results and strong process orientation make him an excellent fit in his new role with the company as he seeks to help us improve the growth , profitability and scalability of the interline brands platform .
that includes the integration of interline , for which the company is paying $ 1 . 625 billion in cash , a price reached after an auction .
interline brands , inc . is one of the largest national distributors of broad - line facilities maintenance , repair and operations products in north america . interline serves over 175 , 000 customers and holds leading market positions in the commercial / institutional , multifamily housing and residential end markets . interline provides its customers comprehensive supply chain solutions including next - day delivery capability to 98 % of the u . s . population , the right merchandise breadth of over 150 , 000 national and exclusive branded products , innovative supply chain and ecommerce technology , and specialized end - market expertise from more than 1 , 600 sales and support professionals .
supplyworks , an $ 850 million business , has more than 3 , 000 supply partners , including georgia - pacific , 3m , diversey care , kimberly clark , scalage , and spartan . it also offers interline’s exclusive brands . the new brand has a team of more than 900 facility maintenance experts and customer service professionals .
interline brands proudly offers the renown® brand of products . renown is a comprehensive sustainable line of cleaning and janitorial products with unparalleled quality and uncompromising performance . as a renown towel and tissue supplier , solaris paper featured renown premium kitchen roll towels and jumbo bath tissue during the 2015 apc ( booth # 1018 ) , along with the locor® high - capacity towel & tissue offering , and the premium livi® vpg and quality livi basic brands of virgin , rapidly renewable fiber based paper towel and tissue products .
join us and our guest peter routsis , director of marketing at interline brands inc , to discuss the intricacies of marketing during a large scale acquisition . the home depot® , the world ' s largest home improvement retailer , announced in august 2015 it had completed its $ 1 . 625 billion acquisition of interline brands , inc . , a leading national distributor and direct marketer of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products . chairman , ceo and president of the home depot , craig menear stated the acquisition would enable the company to “better serve our pro customers whether in - store , online or at their place of business . ”
jacksonville , fla . , dec 10 , 2009 / prnewswire - firstcall via comtex / - - interline brands , inc . ( nyse : ibi ) (
interline
or the
company
) , a leading distributor and direct marketer of maintenance , repair and operations (
mro
) products , today announced the addition of randolph w . melville to its board of directors , effective immediately . mr . melville will also serve on the company ' s compensation committee .
, interline serves more than 175 , 000 customer locations and holds leading market positions in the institutional , multi - family housing and residential end - markets .
supplyworks is the merger of five of interline ' s leading brands – amsan , cleansource , janpak , trayco , and sexauer – under one national brand . the supplyworks brand will include over 140 , 000 products – spanning everything from plumbing and cleaning supplies to hvac , electrical , and other mro products – to help customers enhance the performance , safety , health and sustainability of facilities across the united states . with over 3 , 000 supply partners , supplyworks features a portfolio of branded products from georgia - pacific , 3m , diversey care , kimberly - clark , kohler , schlage and spartan , among others , as well as interline ' s own exclusive brands .
a partial report preview for interline brands , inc . is shown below . where indicated by
yes ,
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with electrical products accounting for 5 % of its $ 1 . 7 billion in annual sales , interline brands inc . , jacksonville , fla . , has kept a fairly low profile in the electrical market . but its approximately $ 84 . 4 million in annual electrical sales could grow if the company’s new supplyworks strategy takes off .
interline ' s remaining units serve the security hardware industry ( u . s . lock ) , propane suppliers ( leran ) and electrical contractors ( sunstar ) .
“the interline integration is progressing , ” said craig menear , chairman , president and ceo of home depot . “we’ve been piloting our first business use case offering interline ' s catalog of products to pros ( professional contractors ) shopping home depot stores . we are pleased with the traction that we ' ve seen in this pilot . ”
heretofore , entering that sector has proved to be difficult for home depot ( nyse : hd ) , analysts say , making the network set up by interline attractive .
home depot’s pro customers are mostly professional remodelers , contractors and repairmen looking for services such as delivery , expanded credit and bulk pricing . the pro portfolio of brands include dewalt and makita .
the launch of supplyworks represents a historic day for our company , and marks one of the last major steps in our efforts to create a leading national and integrated institutional business ,
said michael j . grebe , interline brands chairman and ceo .
over the last decade , interline has acquired , created and developed some of the industry ' s very best facilities maintenance brands , capabilities , technologies , teams and products . today we ' re uniting five of these top brands under one national banner , and solidifying our leadership position in the institutional facilities maintenance market . more importantly , we have realized our goal of having one team , one process , and one national platform with a full and differentiated suite of products and the best distribution capabilities in the industry . all of this comes together to provide our customers with a compelling value proposition that we believe is unique in the industry .
atlanta , july 22 , 2015 / prnewswire / - - the home depot® , the world ' s largest home improvement retailer , today announced its entry into a definitive agreement to acquire jacksonville , fla . - based interline brands , inc . , a leading national distributor and direct marketer of broad - line maintenance , repair and operations ( mro ) products .
- - wilmar - interline ' s largest unit in volume , is a distributor of plumbing , appliances , maintenance and janitorial supplies to the multi - family mro market .
the company grew out of the merger of several other businesses , including jacksonville - based barnett brass & copper , with the combined firm taking the interline name in 2000 .
what all the brands have in common is a focus on mro customers . interline participates in very little residential or commercial new construction bidding . its business model targets repair and replacement contractors ( barnett in particular ) , building maintenance personnel and other mro users . company - wide gross margin of more than 37 per cent speaks volumes about its mro - only mindset .
one or more of these destinations could potentially receive service from all four of the sia group’s airline brands in 2016 . such a scenario is feasible as each brand has its own position . but
“i am excited to welcome janpak into the interline family , ” michael j . grebe , chairman and chief executive officer of interline was quoted in the joint press release as stating . “janpak is a well - run business with a deep and talented team that has built a leadership position in the southeast jansan ( janitorial and sanitary ) market . ”
overall , hd reported a strong q2 . sales for the quarter were $ 26 . 5 billion , a 6 . 6 percent increase from last year driven primarily by positive comps sales as well as the impact of interline brands . versus last year , a stronger u . s . dollar negatively impacted total sales growth by approximately $ 181 million or 0 . 7 percent .
jacksonville , fla . , march 16 , 2015 ( globe newswire ) - - interline brands , inc . (
interline
or the
company
) , one of the largest national distributors of broad - line facilities maintenance , repair and operations products , today announced the launch of a new national brand , supplyworks ( supplyworks . com ) . with over $ 850 million of annual revenue , supplyworks is one of the largest broad line facilities maintenance businesses in the united states providing a full suite of products and solutions to institutional and commercial customers .
home depot also owns various house brands . husky is a manufacturer of hand tools , pneumatic tools and tool storage devices . it was introduced in 1924 . glacier bay offers faucets , sinks , toilets , mirrors and bath vanities . hampton bay retails ceiling fans and lighting fixtures , while commercial electric develops recessed lighting , commercial lighting and electrical tools . these brands are carried only at home depot locations .
“many consolidators that have tried to merge numerous companies together have gotten stuck in the it quagmire , ” says sanford . “the key difference between interline brands and most other consolidators is that our predecessor , wilmar , addressed the it issue very early and beat it by developing an it platform that allowed them to integrate acquired companies very quickly , with minimal disruption to the business . ”
peter routsis is a forward thinking , revenue driving , business leader with extensive leadership experience across a wide range b2b and b2c industries . peter brings over thirty years of experience encompassing retail , sales , product management , strategic planning and marketing management with blue chip companies in the united states and canada . peter’s experience includes companies like sony , reebok , benjamin moore and for the past 5 years , interline brands inc , a home depot company . peter is director of marketing at interline brands inc , leading the marketing efforts for the billion dollar institutional and commercial business units of interline . peter has a ba from the university of toronto and an mba from queen’s university in ontario , canada . peter is a past board member of ama jacksonville and a current jaguars foundation mvp volunteer . peter is married with two children . in his personal time , he enjoys all the amenities of our area including golf , stand up paddling and beach time .
interline ( nyse : ibi ) , which distributes and direct markets products for building maintenance and repair , expects to close the purchase of american sanitary incorporated , known as amsan , in july . interline plans to finance the purchase with the proceeds of a public offering of senior subordinated notes and by borrowing under a new credit facility that the company intends to enter .
through 70 + distribution centers and four regional replenishment centers nationwide , interline empowers reliable same - day or next - day service to 98 % of the u . s . population .
lennie said the interline / hd pilot program could lead to hd increasing its “share of wallet” with the professional contractor but emphasized that it’s in its “very , very early days . ”
ken sweder , who has been with the company since 2008 and previously served as president and chief operating officer , will become the new ceo of interline and a senior vice president at home depot , answering directly to the executive vice president of outside sales and service , bill lennie , said paula drum , vice president for marketing and e - commerce at interline .
interline sells maintenance and repair products to places like school districts and apartment complexes — with the latter in particular expected to be a growth area as millennials shy away from buying homes .
for his part , the 46 - year - old sweder has a lot of plans to continue the momentum interline has built following its acquisition as a subsidiary to home depot this summer .
the deal is expected to close by the end of 2012 and will be financed with borrowings under interline’s ( nyse : ibi ) existing senior credit facility , according to the news release .
to compete against www . grainger . com , interline will be depending on the supplyworks online storefront as a key tool to win business . digital sales are familiar territory to interline because according to its most recent financial report , e - commerce accounts for 20 % of online sales . the company was ranked as one of the 100 largest e - commerce merchants by internet retailer .
when google changed its mobile search algorithm to start favouring mobile - friendly websites in april , most brands and publishers were prepared , having developed sites and content that were already optimized for cross - device viewing . (
“we have so many great interline associates , and i ' m very proud of all of those team members and the folks on the front lines bringing this new vision , ” he said .
. china is a strategically important market for sia but most potential new destinations in china are better suited for the group’s lcc brands as they are secondary markets consisting mainly of price sensitive leisure passengers and limited premium demand .
interline brings an experienced outside and national account sales force , fulfillment capabilities across the facilities maintenance market , and an extensive local distribution network of more than 90 locations throughout the u . s . ,
currently , both hd and number - two home improvement chain lowe’s ( low ) derive about a third of their sales from the pro customer . the interline purchase will provide hd with opportunities to increase the sales contribution from this segment . this represents a more recurring and larger sales opportunity compared to the occasional retail customer . hd should benefit from interline’s large , targeted sales force and national distribution network .
interline brings an experienced outside sales force , fulfillment capabilities in the residential mro market , and an extensive distribution network of more than 90 locations throughout the u . s . , canada and puerto rico .
what to do with all of the information . data mining can give you too much data if you don’t refine what you’re looking for , warns maxwell . when she first came to interline brands , she says , “we had so much data you could choke on it . ” this can create information overload , or “analysis paralysis , ” as she calls it . she suggests before you do data analysis , ask the following questions :
the supplyworks brand name reflects the five brands’ core business and punctuates the path they have been pursuing : to provide great products and smart solutions that advance the performance , image , safety , health , and sustainability of your facility .
under the terms of the agreement , the home depot will acquire interline for $ 1 . 625 billion in cash , subject to customary adjustments . the acquisition , which has been approved by the shareholders of interline , is expected to be completed during the home depot ' s fiscal third quarter , which ends on november 1 , 2015 . the deal is subject to applicable regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions .
interline ’s professional salesforce calls on institutional customers , multi - family dwellings , and hospitality segments . at the time of the acquisition , hd executives pointed out that there are strong synergies between the two companies and those salespeople have the ability to provide turnkey solutions and not just sell products . hd , in turn , helps interline with its buying power , excellent supply chain , store locations and growing online business .
it ' s common for major brands to sponsor mega sporting events like the 2015 toronto pan am games , but thanks to new tools and technology it ' s now possible for small businesses to compete on the world stage too . (
flooding the postal system is the routine part of maxwell ' s job . she gets most animated talking about the information flow from the other direction . interline has some 140 , 000 active customers in its database - about 30 , 000 for barnett alone , most of them plumbing contractors . over time interline extracts ever more detailed information about the buying habits , wants and needs of that massive audience , plus new prospects .
the company said enabling customers to deal with one brand makes the process seamless and makes for a better relationship between interline and those it serves . the consolidation will make it easier for the company ' s suppliers .
this report looks at how the relationship between the group’s two lcc brands is evolving along with changes in the overall role for tigerair , which has been exploring potential synergies with the group since transitioning from an affiliate to subsidiary in late 2014 .
during the second quarter of 2014 interline made a strategic marketing decision to rebrand certain trademark assets and begin to consolidate several brands under a new national brand name within its institutional customer end - market . as a result of the rebranding initiative , the company recorded a non - cash write - off of $ 67 . 5 million related to the impairment of certain indefinite - lived trademark assets due to a change in the expected useful life of the intangible assets .
interline brings to the home depot an experienced outside sales force , fulfillment capabilities in the residential mro market , and an extensive distribution network of more than 90 locations throughout the u . s . , canada and puerto rico .
then , she says , you can create a discipline of not asking for what you don’t need . another important step is to create a baseline of what was before so you can track the trends . at interline brands , she says management had previously put all of these data decisions into the hands of the marketing managers , resulting in a lack of centralization . “now we use a team and first talk through what’s really important , as well as what can we eliminate . ”
keeping the name is only part of what it takes to preserve business relationships . the various interline brands have multiple types of customers who want to be serviced in multiple ways . sexauer , for example , sells many complex specification products and thus relies more heavily than other brands on a technically astute outside sales force . at the other extreme , the maintenance usa unit specializes in selling low - cost products to mom and pop hotels / motels , schools and other penny - pinching accounts . they go to market exclusively through catalogs and monthly sales flyers . in between is barnett , which sells mainly to phc contractors and employs a mix of field sales personnel in some metropolitan areas , along with catalogs , flyers , telesales and counter sales .
) , and paint and paint accessories . wilmar offers a broad range of name brands such as kwikset , insinkerator , delta faucet , moen , philips lighting , and briggs plumbingware . in fiscal 1999 , excluding unassimilated acquisitions , private label products marketed under the
based in jacksonville , fla . , interline brands , which has 2 , 200 employees and annual sales of more than $ 635 million , sells more than 45 , 000 plumbing , hardware , electrical , janitorial and related products through more than 60 distribution centers to professional contractors , facilities maintenance professionals , hardware stores and other customers across north america and central america . the company ranks eighth on industrial distribution magazine ' s “the big 50” listing of the largest industrial distributors in north america .