Amazon Hose and Rubber

Posted on by Thor

While driving to the College Park Jazz Festival, I noticed that Amazon Hose and Rubber will be moving from the warehouse they have occupied for years. The current location is 1625 West Princeton Street Orlando, Florida and the new Location (Coming January 2014) will be 4105 Seaboard Rd Orlando, Florida. The current location was always easy to spot since there is an old water tower behind it and the front facade is covered with a colorful mural that showcases Florida wildlife.

Summer Rodman is  the president of this family owned business started
started by her grandfather Harry Jacoby back in
1919.  Her grandmother Lorena did collections and worked int he office until
she took over in 1973 after his death. She was a little blond with a
big personality and many of the long time players in the industry still
remember her. Lorena ran this male-dominated business
at a time when a woman had many more challenges than now, and she not
only succeeded but set an example of leadership, dedication and the
pursuit of superior customer satisfaction. Summers mother ran the business for years and still consults. Though the business started small, it is now grosses over 11 million dollars by supplying Central Florida’s hose needs. They also serve national and international orders thanks to the Internet. It was ranked as one of the Top 5 Women owned Businesses in Central Florida by the Orlando Business Journal.

There is a counter at the front entrance of the current location where costumers can sit to wait for their hose order to be filled. Construction workers and do it yourselfers constantly muscled up to the counter. Staff would scour the warehouse which is like the Library of Congress for hoses. Row after row of shelving housed every kind of hose and bracket.

History Center Holiday at Heritage Square

Posted on by Thor

On December 3rd the Orange County Regional History Center celebrated the Holidays in Heritage Square (South Magnolia Avenue and East Central Boulevard). The event was complete with live music, visits with Santa Claus, crafts, milk and cookies; plus Mayor Teresa Jacobs turned on the holiday lights.

On the walk to the History Center, I bumped into my wife Terry walking around Lake Eola and was amazed to see that she had died all her hair a deep purple. She was on the phone with my sister Carol. She handed the phone to me and Carol told me that my distant cousin Cornelia Thorspecken and her daughter Nini would be visiting Orlando in the summer. I’d have to get the guest room ready for visitors.

At the History Center, the park was quite dark but the facade of the building was lit by bright color changing spot lights. As a sketch artist I get annoyed with these color changing lights having to choose a color palette that might change on a whim. All the new sculptures in town seem to use color changing lights like none of the artists could make a decision about which color would work best.

A children’s chorus sang off tune. Though lacking talent they were adorable which is what counts. When Teresa Jacobs flipped on the lights, long strands of Christmas lights arched up to the top floor creating the illusion of a Christmas Tree. With the lights on, everyone was invited inside to meet Santa. My sketch was done, so I packed it up for the day. The last time I tried to draw Santa I had been kicked out of the mall, so I wasn’t going to push my luck.

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