Article Number: 2634
James Marcus dies - Pioneer, innovator in contract carpet
By Albert Wahnon
Los Angeles, Calif.—His career spanned seven decades and included the founding of several companies. He was a visionary and deftly turned challenges into opportunities. His contributions to the contract carpet industry were groundbreaking and changed the face of the business. His work ethic was impeccable and his achievements were an inspiration to those around him. Jimmy Marcus worked until he was 95 and on Oct. 9, he died of natural causes at his home here. He was three weeks from his 103rd birthday.
Born James L. Marcus in New York City on Nov. 1, 1904, he graduated from high school in 1922 and entered New York University, where he majored in accounting. He attended college at night and worked during the day as an assistant credit man for a factoring company. He received his degree in accounting from N.Y.U. in 1926 and left the factoring firm to accept an offer from a client, the John D. Harris Co., an importer of floor coverings, launching a 73-year career in the flooring industry. He was operations manager, and when Harris decided to stop traveling he took over the territory and transitioned into sales and marketing.
In 1931, he became the assistant to Randolph Dodge, another floor covering importer. Dodge died suddenly and Marcus conducted the business for two years, after which the estate liquidated the company and he decided to form a selling agency, Kenmar Rug. In 1935, he and his partner, George Stone, entered into a joint venture with Stephen Rug Mills, owned by the Herzfeld brothers. The endeavor was enormously successful for seven years but was terminated when World War II erupted. A short time later, he decided to enter the manufacturing end of the business and formed Aldon Rug Mills, which produced bath mats and area rugs on converted sewing machines ranging from single-needle to four-needle. Eventually, the company developed a 54-inch wide machine and began producing room-size rugs. During this period of growth and development, he worked on and succeeded in building a 12-foot tufter and Aldon was in the broadloom business.
The company flourished; separate marketing divisions were formed for rugs and broadloom, personnel expanded, the three Barg brothers ran the manufacturing operation and Marcus focused on the marketing. For more than 20 years the company continued to grow and prosper, and in the early 1960s he got involved with an old friend and a new idea and he again changed his business course. His good friend, Jim Delaney, who had been vice president of marketing for Bigelow before he retired, intrigued him with a piece of fabric made on an upholstery machine attached to a piece of foam rubber. Immediately recognizing its potential in the commercial market, Marcus began to devote his efforts to developing the revolutionary new product.
In 1961, he founded Commercial Carpet Corp. (CCC) to tap into a market that was in its infancy and accounted for only 5% of the carpet industry. Marcus had the uncanny ability to identify a need and fill it. CCC produced a 54-inch woven nylon carpet bonded to sponge rubber and he believed “it would outwear any carpet ever made.” After years of hard work, the product was made and had to be sold. Retailers were totally unreceptive, so he decided to call on architects and end users. Finally, it began to happen and the company was off and running; he never looked back. In 1964, he sold Aldon to Herbert and Bernard Barg and put his efforts and capital into his new venture. A sales force was established, and eventually there were 125 on staff, five regional sales managers and a vice president of marketing. Disney was one of its largest customers.
Marcus decided he could expand his customer base by selling to distributors and down the chain to retailers, so he formed Viking Carpets, which was headed by Wolfe Nichols, and Robertson Carpets, headed by Dan Kelly. The three companies came under the corporate umbrella of Commercial Affiliates, and he recruited Larry Nagle, then vice president of merchandising at Macy’s, to head the company as his partner. In 1978, Marcus moved to Los Angeles to run the western operation of CCC, and in 1980 he sold Commercial Affiliates to Trend Mills. A short time later, he and his wife, Helen, formed yet another company, Commercial Flooring Associates, which has become Contract Hospitality International, supplying interior furnishings to hotels around the world.
In 1994, Jim Marcus was inducted into the Industry Hall of Fame, highlighting a long and distinguished career in the flooring business. In 1999, at age 95, he retired for the third and final time. An industry icon, he is regarded as the most significant contributor to the contract carpet industry in the modern era. He was innovative, daring and determined, and it was his vision that brought carpet to the top of the commercial landscape.
“Jim was a man of many talents. He understood people, he understood business, he understood the carpet industry and he had a keen sense and clear picture of what the marketplace would accept and buy,” said longtime friend Bob Kokoszka of Burtco in a eulogy. “He knew how to communicate to get the products he wanted and he knew how to communicate to get them sold…I will never forget him.”
Marcus was very active in the community, serving the United Jewish Appeal, Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, the Anti-Defamation League, UCLA, and was a fellow of Brandeis University.
Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Helen; a son, Dr. Donald Marcus (Marianne); grandchildren Laura, Susan and James; great grandchildren Donald and Katherine, and sisters Betty Herman and Natalie Weisenthal (Irwin). A son, Robert, predeceased him.
Contributions in his name may be made to OPICA Adult Day Care Center, 11759 Missouri Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025.
Los Angeles, Calif.—His career spanned seven decades and included the founding of several companies. He was a visionary and deftly turned challenges into opportunities. His contributions to the contract carpet industry were groundbreaking and changed the face of the business. His work ethic was impeccable and his achievements were an inspiration to those around him. Jimmy Marcus worked until he was 95 and on Oct. 9, he died of natural causes at his home here. He was three weeks from his 103rd birthday.
Born James L. Marcus in New York City on Nov. 1, 1904, he graduated from high school in 1922 and entered New York University, where he majored in accounting. He attended college at night and worked during the day as an assistant credit man for a factoring company. He received his degree in accounting from N.Y.U. in 1926 and left the factoring firm to accept an offer from a client, the John D. Harris Co., an importer of floor coverings, launching a 73-year career in the flooring industry. He was operations manager, and when Harris decided to stop traveling he took over the territory and transitioned into sales and marketing.
In 1931, he became the assistant to Randolph Dodge, another floor covering importer. Dodge died suddenly and Marcus conducted the business for two years, after which the estate liquidated the company and he decided to form a selling agency, Kenmar Rug. In 1935, he and his partner, George Stone, entered into a joint venture with Stephen Rug Mills, owned by the Herzfeld brothers. The endeavor was enormously successful for seven years but was terminated when World War II erupted. A short time later, he decided to enter the manufacturing end of the business and formed Aldon Rug Mills, which produced bath mats and area rugs on converted sewing machines ranging from single-needle to four-needle. Eventually, the company developed a 54-inch wide machine and began producing room-size rugs. During this period of growth and development, he worked on and succeeded in building a 12-foot tufter and Aldon was in the broadloom business.
The company flourished; separate marketing divisions were formed for rugs and broadloom, personnel expanded, the three Barg brothers ran the manufacturing operation and Marcus focused on the marketing. For more than 20 years the company continued to grow and prosper, and in the early 1960s he got involved with an old friend and a new idea and he again changed his business course. His good friend, Jim Delaney, who had been vice president of marketing for Bigelow before he retired, intrigued him with a piece of fabric made on an upholstery machine attached to a piece of foam rubber. Immediately recognizing its potential in the commercial market, Marcus began to devote his efforts to developing the revolutionary new product.
In 1961, he founded Commercial Carpet Corp. (CCC) to tap into a market that was in its infancy and accounted for only 5% of the carpet industry. Marcus had the uncanny ability to identify a need and fill it. CCC produced a 54-inch woven nylon carpet bonded to sponge rubber and he believed “it would outwear any carpet ever made.” After years of hard work, the product was made and had to be sold. Retailers were totally unreceptive, so he decided to call on architects and end users. Finally, it began to happen and the company was off and running; he never looked back. In 1964, he sold Aldon to Herbert and Bernard Barg and put his efforts and capital into his new venture. A sales force was established, and eventually there were 125 on staff, five regional sales managers and a vice president of marketing. Disney was one of its largest customers.
Marcus decided he could expand his customer base by selling to distributors and down the chain to retailers, so he formed Viking Carpets, which was headed by Wolfe Nichols, and Robertson Carpets, headed by Dan Kelly. The three companies came under the corporate umbrella of Commercial Affiliates, and he recruited Larry Nagle, then vice president of merchandising at Macy’s, to head the company as his partner. In 1978, Marcus moved to Los Angeles to run the western operation of CCC, and in 1980 he sold Commercial Affiliates to Trend Mills. A short time later, he and his wife, Helen, formed yet another company, Commercial Flooring Associates, which has become Contract Hospitality International, supplying interior furnishings to hotels around the world.
In 1994, Jim Marcus was inducted into the Industry Hall of Fame, highlighting a long and distinguished career in the flooring business. In 1999, at age 95, he retired for the third and final time. An industry icon, he is regarded as the most significant contributor to the contract carpet industry in the modern era. He was innovative, daring and determined, and it was his vision that brought carpet to the top of the commercial landscape.
“Jim was a man of many talents. He understood people, he understood business, he understood the carpet industry and he had a keen sense and clear picture of what the marketplace would accept and buy,” said longtime friend Bob Kokoszka of Burtco in a eulogy. “He knew how to communicate to get the products he wanted and he knew how to communicate to get them sold…I will never forget him.”
Marcus was very active in the community, serving the United Jewish Appeal, Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, the Anti-Defamation League, UCLA, and was a fellow of Brandeis University.
Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Helen; a son, Dr. Donald Marcus (Marianne); grandchildren Laura, Susan and James; great grandchildren Donald and Katherine, and sisters Betty Herman and Natalie Weisenthal (Irwin). A son, Robert, predeceased him.
Contributions in his name may be made to OPICA Adult Day Care Center, 11759 Missouri Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025.
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