Back in the Day



We're fond of telling anyone who will listen about the roots of Ohio Knitting Mills, as the history is rich. We were founded in Cleveland, Ohio in the year 1927 by Harry Stone and his business partner, Walker R. Woodworth.

These are stories of more than just a factory and a business: Ohio Knitting Mills (OKM) was one of the most technically sophisticated textile design houses in the world, and was an important contributor to the emergence and mainstreaming of that most American of fashion genres: sportswear.

 

Harry Stone, c. 1932. Yes, this is a knit portrait.

Harry and Walker started their knitwear careers working for Rich-Sampliner Knitting Mill; Walker was the production manager, and Harry was in the field as salesman.

These two enterprising gents struck out on their own in 1926 when the Rich Co. fell on hard times. They pooled all their resources, which basically was Harry's automobile, and Walker's $500, to start their own knitting mill, called the Stone Knitting Mill. They set up their operation in a vast industrial complex, the National Screw and Tack Building, located in Cleveland's cacophonous industrial east side.

The vast National Screw Building housed many industrial businesses in the 1920's; including Stone Knitting Mill.

Walker was the inside man, running the nuts and bolts of the operation, and Harry was the outside man, traveling throughout the Midwest and East coast meeting with customers and selling their lines. They specialized in menswear- both worsted wool sweaters for Fall/Winter, as well as cotton short sleeve shirts for Spring and Summer. The young business thrived, and by the early 1930's, in spite of the economic hardships of the Great Depression, the Mill was employing close to 1,000 workers.

For much of the 20th Century, Cleveland had a thriving garment industry; estimated to be second only to New York at various times. The city was home to over 25 knitting mills, as well as large factories producing coats, dresses, suits, hosiery, millinery, etc, as well as much of the support industries that made garment production possible- yarn spinning, dye-houses, cut & sew shops, notions, finishers, and machine manufacturers as White Sewing Machines was a Cleveland-based company.

Comments

  • Marjorie Griese Evans says...

    This is a wonderful recovery story. I have been following your company for a few years, and found you because of the name of your original building. My great grandfather, David C. Griese was one of the founders and director of The National Screw and Tack Co, late to become the National Screw and Manufacturing Co. My grandfather, great uncle, dad, cousins, and friends of the family worked there also. I have a wonderful collection of the memorabilia from this company. My hat is off to you in this resurrecting effort.

    On December 10, 2014

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Ohio Knitting Mills
harry@ohioknittingmills.com
216-272-6375
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