A Brief History
luck n. to gain success or something desirable by chance.
- 22. Gary Player. 'The more I practice the luckier I get.'
23. The Old-Fashioned Way. I started the Stereo Advantage in the Spring of 1978. I was 24 years old and in no particular hurry to do anything. I had sent my deposit in to law school for the Fall of '78 semester. At the time, I was selling Lloyd's all-in-one stereo systems out of my apartment, and I had a few of my friends on commission. On June 6, 1978, I rented a 450 sq. foot store front at 5687 Main Street. My childhood friend, TM, and I started the Taplin Agency [an advertising company] and Jalmar Graphics [gift items] to go along with the Stereo Advantage. We were young, enthusiastic, and well... After a few weeks, TM left with Jalmar Graphics [now Manzella Productions], and I ventured alone with the Stereo Advantage. I never did make it to law school.
I was married in the Summer of '79, hired Al in the Fall of '79, and had my first daughter in the Spring of '80. Fatherhood and alienation motivated me. We stopped carrying albums [only $4.97] in the Spring of '80, and we were off. 'Sounds Great' almost blew us out of the water during the Summer of '81, but we dug in!
We started Wholesale in the Spring of '82, and Butch joined up in the Fall. As '82 came to a close, we opened our first catalog store in Olean. There was also a joint venture in a Stereo Advantage in Phoenix, Arizona, not to mention the little store on Elmwood Avenue. All three stores didn't make it, but none were as bad as our computer school - Computer Head Start [Karen and I were 10 years ahead of our time]. Around this time, we also started the Stereo Shop in Rochester and the Sneaker Advantage. We were an intrepid bunch.
By 1984, we were a $10 million company, and we made the big move to 5195 Main St.. Silo came to town and opened the largest electronics store on planet Earth in October of '84, and we moved in to our new store in November of '84. Everyone wrote us off, but we've been taking on all challengers ever since.
Today, The Advantage Co. is a $50 million business with over 250 employees. We have a varied menu of operations: the Stereo Advantage [Retail, Advantage SmartLinks, Advantage Business Centers, Wholesale, Commercial, and Lifetime Service]; the House of Cotton; the Sneaker Advantage; Advantage Properties [real estate investments, the Walker Center, and Ashton Potter]; and various partnerships including Joe Kreuz and Advantage Professionals.
We are a well diversified organization, uniquely prepared to not only face the challenges of volatile economic realities, but strategically positioned to reap the benefits of future growth. The development of our company began in 1978, and our current direction has been evolving since the beginning of 1996.
Our recovery over the past couple of years has been accomplished by the extraordinary efforts of the very few who have the unique understanding of what it takes to make us a profitable and responsible venture.
Our success could not have been achieved without the investment necessary to support such opportunity. It takes people, money, and courage. I think we have a great mix of all three and that is why I am so excited about our prospects for the future. It has been earned – and it has been rewarding!
