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The History of Ed Pawlack Tile ...
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Ed Pawlack tile origins started September 6, 1934 with the marriage of Tony A. Pawlack of Polish Heritage and Cora A. Cazares of Mexican Heritage, in East Los Angeles California in the middle of the great depression. Unable to rent a home in the area due to being a mixed marriage, my parents bought a little piece of property on Duncan Street in Lynwood California and started to build their home and family. The following year on September 5th, 1935 my brother Ron was born and the next year on September 6th, 1936 my sister Diana “bobby’ was born, the Pawlack clan was on its way. At that particular time in my fathers life, Tony had two jobs running a bar in E.L.A. and working in construction but due to the pressures of having a bar he sold the business and entered the construction industry full time. On August 25, 1938 he became a licensed tile contractor under the name Pawlack A G Tile Lic. 58164.
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In 1950 my parents moved the growing family to east Los Angeles close to Montebello on Findlay Av. Between Whittier and Beverly blvd. At the time the company name was changed to belvedere tile. The company worked on tract homes and storefronts as far away as Pomona, La Habra and Riverside. Many of the tile fronts can be seen along Atlantic and Whittier Blvd. Today, Tony, at the age of 55 and Cora 42 years young had their last addition to the Pawlack family when Antonia “cookie” born October 8th, 1952. During this period in my life, due to my mother having 2 teenagers, the twins and a new baby, my parents sent me to live in Avalon, Catalina island with my aunt viola for the next 9 summers. This gave me a love for Catalina Island and all the beautiful classic “Catalina Tiles” on the island. My life long passion of the tile industry started on the “ island of tile” in the early 50’s. To this day, my family with my grand children all have a passion for Catalina. During the late 50’s, the tile business slowed down due to more laminates Formica, plastics, metal tiles, and smaller jobs.
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My brother went to work for my father in 1961 and the company added carpet and linoleum to its installation. In 1963 after high school, I, “Ed”, went to work for my father and over the next few years I concentrated on being a good tile setter and learning as much as I could. On April 1, 1968 my father at 69 years of age decided it was time to retire and handed over the tile company to me. With a red ford pickup and only $200.00 in the bank, I was on my own and with John Carney, my friend and first employee I was on my way, and the company name was changed once again on July 12th, 1968 to its present name, Ed Pawlack Tile.
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On August 5th, 1972 I married the beauty from Glendora, Carol, and in September my brother Ron with his carpet business growing and my ceramic tile business growing, we bought a piece of property on Brea Blvd and over the next year completely remolded the 1920, 2 story redbrick building. Carol and I kept very busy over the next few years and by December 1974, our family grew to a family of 5, including Carol, Jerry, Jennie, Heather and I. In the next 8 years Ed Pawlack Tile grew to a crew of 9, a total of 17 people. The type of work dealt mostly with remodeling kitchens, bathrooms and flooring, custom homes and small commercial installations.
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Ed Pawlack tile moved to the corner of Brea and Birch where the Old Navy clothing store is now. Times were tough in the early 80’s due to the recession and interest rates at 22%. Ed Pawlack Tile struggled. I became worn and burnt out and decided in 1984 to close the tile installation part of the business and the carpet installation was closed, and Ed Pawlack Tile went into selling ceramic tile only over the next 8 years as the retail ceramic tile business grew.
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On April 1, 1992 with the redevelopment of down town Brea in early 1990, Ed Pawlack Tile once again moved into its present location and over the next rough 3 years stayed in business during the recession that toppled many of the great leaders of the tile industry in Southern California. Working 7 days a week with 15 hour days during 1996 and 1997, Ed Pawlack Tile survived and set out to be even better than before with new displays, top of the line products including tile, stone and setting materials and a great staff. Each year the team sets out to be better than the year before.
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2000 and beyond !!
With the beginning of the new century and a more knowledgeable staff among them my daughters Heather and Jennie joining. Ed Pawlack Tile keeps on growing and changing with some of the best tile and stone products on the market. In 2005 and 2006, the company has also taken on the distribution of Senio Ceramica of Italy. Ed Pawlack Tile sees more growth for the tile industry and itself.
The success of Ed Pawlack Tile is because I have become more mature, wiser and older, love the tile industry and also because I have one great staff in sales, warehousing, order desk, customer relations, bookkeeping, outside sales, and also the everlasting love of the ceramic tile industry.
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