The story of how a small three person workroom, started by a elementary school teacher, evolved into a superior organization of manufacturing and distribution.
Karen Honigberg, the founder and CEO of our organization started the company with the desire of bringing high quality products to a monopolized industry. Overcoming severe barriers to entry, Ms. Honigberg settled the market place by providing fair pricing on what was already established, and by developing new products that outpaced what customers even thought were possible.
These attributes cultivated a following, with many of the same customers still purchasing today. As these customers moved from different locations, they spread the word, and the company grew. Drapes 4 Show became the table skirting and linen supplier to come to when a crisis was a foot. Our short lead times, and desire to win the customer over, built strong customer loyalty. Still handling the day to day operations, Ms. Honigberg is delighted to share the company’s responsibilities with her son, Jason Honigberg.
Having grown up from early childhood hearing about the factory and its interworking , Jason interest peaked early. His first job in the textile industry was at the age of 10, with a friend, whose family owned a yarn factory in Downtown Los Angeles. During his summer vacations, the two were paid a substantial $5 per day to wrap the paper around bundles of yarn. Having yarn wrapping down, he moved to cleaning the Drapes 4 Show factory at age 16, with a promotion to embroidery machine operator the next year. He was immersed into the operation and manufacturing set into his blood.
Jason's choice for a higher education was focused around learning skills to improve Drapes 4 Show. He attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, School of Business. Their focus on manufacturing had educated other leaders of industry, such as the founders of Kinkos and Oakleys. Having been taught by retirees from companies such as Boeing, his education is a core strength of Drapes 4 Show. Jason and his team have scoured the earth looking for resources to improve Drape’s manufacturing capabilities, developing a supply chain that can meet our customers’ stringent demands, and cultivated relationships with customers to develop a good understanding of their needs.
A turning point came when Jason was fortunate to meet with Mr. Steve Szabo. Born in Hungary, with a father that was in the sewing industry, he has over 40 years experience in this field. He has easily earned a reputation as the best, having run a successful factory for decades, assisted major apparel companies with their factories, all in Los Angeles during the high point of the apparel life cycle. Steve has also worked as a tool and die maker for local air craft manufacturing. His abilities as a machinist and as a sewing mechanic give him the skills to fix any vintage machine, create new styles of sewing machines from scratch, and modify off the shelf machines to create truly unique products. Steve was instrumental in establishing Drapes 4 Show’s research and development practices and operation. The knowledge he has imparted to the entire production team is truly a gift.
The next fantastic gift came from the great city of Los Angeles. The Community Redevelopment Agency and the Community Development Department have given Drapes 4 Show a grant and issued an industrial development bond. A boost, not a bailout, which was used for the purchase of our new factory. Our new location, in Sylmar California could not be a better place. Our local support from Councilman Richard Alarcón of District 7, Mayor Villaraigosa, and the members of the CRA and CDD have create an environment that has helped Drapes prosper in our new factory.
With new found space and talent, or organization has sustained steady growth. New markets have emerged for our products and capabilities. Our service levels have grown to meet an expanding customer base, our production capabilities have grown to meet the demands of new clients. Drapes 4 Show is here to be an integral rung in the ladder of success of our customer, our community, and the people of our organization.
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