Almore Dye House Inc

Almore Dye House, Inc. has been operating since 1919 and is currently being run by the 3rd generation of the Teichner Family. We are one of the most experienced garment dyers in the country; mostly using eco-friendly, low impact, reactive dyes. We service the country's garment and linen supply industries from our 20,000 sq. ft. Los Angeles area location. Why Garment Dye? Garment dying offers many advantages over piece dying (pre-dyed fabric). Garment dying provides a quicker response time, it is more cost effective, works for smaller minimums, and gives your garment a unique, soft, pre-shruken finish. It also gives you the chance to create your own color and finish for the upcoming season. The Early History of Almore Dye House 1919-1989 The business was started in may 1919 by Morry Gordon and Al Kaplan in Chicago near 43rd and State Streets. It was chartered in Springfield as an Illinois Corporation and remains as such at the present time. The business was conceived primarily to dye garments on a wholesale basis for dry cleaners and laundries. Leon Teichner, the man most responsible for getting Almore off and running came to the U.S. in 1910 at the age of 16. In 1917 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and went to Europe as part of a horse drawn artillery unit. After taking part in several campaigns he returned to the states late in 1919 and was discharged. He then settled in Chicago and married Anne Baum of New York City in 1921. Leon tried various jobs in the Chicago area till the time he heard that the partners at Almore were feuding. At this time he joined forces with Frank Prasil, Sr. and bought out Gordon and Kaplan. Prasil had come to the U.S. from Czechoslovakia with his wife, Hermina, and two sons, Carl and Frank, Jr. Frank, Sr. had been in the dry cleaning business. By 1925 Teichner and Prasil erected a 500 sq. ft. plant on the corner of 44th Place and Wentworth Avenue. There was plenty of competition, but by hiring the best garment dyers they could find and insisting on high quality, sales began to increase. Instead of bringing in work by trolly or street car, Almore in the late 20's and early 30's began to cover the city and suburbs by truck. The great depression (1932-1935) slowed things down considerably. Many times the payroll could not be met and employees were given promissory notes that were eventually honored. Late in 1932 Frank Prasil, Sr. died from pneumonia. His stock was split between his widow and his two sons. The business climate improved in 1936 and continued to show growth through World War II. Frank Prasil, Jr. came into the business in 1933 and became a “Fixture” over the years. He spent most of his time in the Dye House Production area. In addition he helped with maintenance, repairs, and tending boilers. His Brother, Carl, left the business in the early 50's and moved to Naples, Florida with his mother and family. Eventually, they were bought out by the corporation. Within the same time span, the Teichner sons, Robert and Arthur were growing up, being educated and spending time in the military. In 1946 Arthur came on board, followed by Robert in 1947. A few words concerning dyeing in the “early days”. It was done primarily in copper kettles and wooden tubs. Heating the baths was done by live steam with a few exceptions where steam jackets were used. Large wooden tubs were used as “standing baths” to dye woolen garments black. The tubs would be filled with water on Monday morning and the initial charge of dye added. After dyeing a load, it was removed from the tub and rinsed in a wooden rotary machine driven by an overhead pulley system. More color would be added , the bath heated to proper temperature again and the next load would go in. This bath would be held for a week and then dropped on Friday. Over the years, copper kettles were replaced by stainless steel kettles, tanks and surge machines. The wooden tubs and belt driven machines were replaced by monel and then stainless steel rotary dyeing machines. Eventually these machines were geared to run at four speeds and the temperature could be preset and controlled. Also, for many years carpets were dyed in a large tank with a motorized reel, then rinsed, passed through a wringer and carried into the “dry room” for slow drying. This business declined as more and more homes and institutions began to use tacked-down carpets. During the depression, Anne Teichner's brother, Manny Baum came to work for Almore. He molded a very successful mail order business by making many trips to small towns and soliciting local dry cleaners. In addition, several commission drivers (bobtailors) were engaged to pick up work for the company in parts of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. A big spurt in company growth took place in 1945-1946 as the returning veterans of WWII were discharged from service. Production of civilian garments had been curtailed to concentrate on military apparel. Therefore, Almore and other garment dyers were swamped with wool and cotton uniforms to be redyed to “civilian” colors. For a short period in late 1945, 80 employees worked three shifts.