In the 1930s, S. Marks & Company continued to expand its offerings. In addition to paints, wallpaper, and varnishes, the company added floor sealants and mirrors to its inventory. Auto, window and plate glass sales and service were available. Simon Marks’ youngest son, Louis Marks, was an integral part of the business, having started in 1917.
The company was incorporated in the early 1930s, and Louis Marks was named its president. His wife, Anna Marks, worked in the business as the secretary.
Glass and mirrors were installed in barber shops, bars, storefronts, and at the new Hotel Holyoke. The company had its own trucks to pick up carloads of glass and mirrors from the nearby train yard.
In 1941, the company celebrated its 38th anniversary with its employees and guests at the Roger Smith Hotel. Over 55 attended the event.
Trains also brought in carloads of O’Brien Paints for pickup. S. Marks & Co. was the authorized dealer for O’Brien Paints in the area. The company was considered Holyoke’s largest paint store and one of its first.
Louis Marks sponsored an annual dinner party for painters in Holyoke and the area. The 1950 event was held at the Roger Smith Hotel.
S. Marks & Company was awarded the contract to provide paint for street line striping in Holyoke. The company would provide 300 gallons of reflective and 40 gallons of non-reflective paint for the 1950 project.
By 1959, the company had 10 employees, some of whom were fluent in Polish and French to serve the customer base. Louis and Anna Marks’ son, Sherman Marks, was a 1957 graduate of the University of Massachusetts. He was employed by the firm as the owner’s assistant. He became the third generation of the Marks family to enter the paint and wallpaper business.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
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