Page 22 - Indulge April/May 2016
P. 22
ily bonds In the mid-1930s, Maytag’s Photos by: Sarah Evans
Wringer Washer was the
must-have home appliance.
“Perfecting the Washing
Machine”; “Quick, Easy,
Low-Cost Farm Washing”;
“The Best Thing We Ever
Bought,” the ads boasted.
Applying family values
Kruper Brothers Appliance
By Patrick O’Donnell
22 | indulge • april/may 2016 ike Krupa saw the machines’ potential, As the business grew, other family members would
enlisted his teenage brother, Frank, and soon help out. Sandra Krupa started there 40 years ago, in
the pair were going door-to-door to demonstrate — and sell junior high. Eventually she went to college, majoring in
— the sturdy washers. Those sales became the foundation business management. “It was either this or big corporate,
for what is now one of the oldest businesses in Allentown: so I opted to stay and work in the family business.”
Kruper Brothers Appliance.
The brothers have passed away, but the business, She’s seen a lot of changes, but says the biggest has
now in its 80th year, is going strong. “They started from been the cyber age. “I can remember back in the ’80s
nothing and made it into something,” says Sandra Krupa, and early ’90s, you really had to demonstrate everything to
current owner and daughter of Frank Krupa. customers; you had to show them all the options and how
Her father and uncle, the sons of Polish immigrants, things worked. … Now all that info is at their fingertips.”
grew up with four brothers and two sisters on a farm in
Ormrod, North Whitehall Township. “They were a hard- Appliances, of course, have evolved, but one thing that
working immigrant family; they didn’t come to America really stands out, she says, is efficiency. “Refrigerators
with anything except a good core religion and morals,” are very inexpensive to operate in this day and age. Going
Krupa says. back 15 years, your costs were around $150 to $200
The brothers embraced their parents’ ethics, and when a year … the efficiency of dishwashers and front-load
they opened their first store, in Coplay, “My Dad would be clothes washers are so much better, too.”
in the store selling, and then they would both go out for
the installation,” Krupa says. Today’s “must-have” appliances are also different.
It wasn’t too long after the Coplay store opened that Krupa Brothers carries a wide range of products, including
two other brothers — John and Stephen — joined the drawer refrigerators and drawer microwaves, which can
business. “John had the expertise of being an efficient be installed in a kitchen island or family room, she says.
bookkeeper, so he was the accountant. My uncle Stephen Other popular items: wine refrigerators and kegorators —
was in sales.” to keep that wine chilled and that beer on tap and ice cold.
The brothers moved the store to Northampton, then ran
a store in Allentown at 542 Hamilton St. from 1945 until One thing that hasn’t changed: The hard work required
1963, Krupa says, then “they moved up to 926 Hamilton. to run a business. “You have to be up on everything 24
We also had a store at Crest Plaza for a short period of hours a day, seven days a week. You have to work a lot.
time in the ’60s.” Most Saturdays I’m working. It’s something that’s either
in your blood or not in your blood,” Krupa says. “Life
is always changing, and if you’re not flexible enough to
change, you lose. So always be flexible. Be a part of the
new fascination.”
Wringer Washer was the
must-have home appliance.
“Perfecting the Washing
Machine”; “Quick, Easy,
Low-Cost Farm Washing”;
“The Best Thing We Ever
Bought,” the ads boasted.
Applying family values
Kruper Brothers Appliance
By Patrick O’Donnell
22 | indulge • april/may 2016 ike Krupa saw the machines’ potential, As the business grew, other family members would
enlisted his teenage brother, Frank, and soon help out. Sandra Krupa started there 40 years ago, in
the pair were going door-to-door to demonstrate — and sell junior high. Eventually she went to college, majoring in
— the sturdy washers. Those sales became the foundation business management. “It was either this or big corporate,
for what is now one of the oldest businesses in Allentown: so I opted to stay and work in the family business.”
Kruper Brothers Appliance.
The brothers have passed away, but the business, She’s seen a lot of changes, but says the biggest has
now in its 80th year, is going strong. “They started from been the cyber age. “I can remember back in the ’80s
nothing and made it into something,” says Sandra Krupa, and early ’90s, you really had to demonstrate everything to
current owner and daughter of Frank Krupa. customers; you had to show them all the options and how
Her father and uncle, the sons of Polish immigrants, things worked. … Now all that info is at their fingertips.”
grew up with four brothers and two sisters on a farm in
Ormrod, North Whitehall Township. “They were a hard- Appliances, of course, have evolved, but one thing that
working immigrant family; they didn’t come to America really stands out, she says, is efficiency. “Refrigerators
with anything except a good core religion and morals,” are very inexpensive to operate in this day and age. Going
Krupa says. back 15 years, your costs were around $150 to $200
The brothers embraced their parents’ ethics, and when a year … the efficiency of dishwashers and front-load
they opened their first store, in Coplay, “My Dad would be clothes washers are so much better, too.”
in the store selling, and then they would both go out for
the installation,” Krupa says. Today’s “must-have” appliances are also different.
It wasn’t too long after the Coplay store opened that Krupa Brothers carries a wide range of products, including
two other brothers — John and Stephen — joined the drawer refrigerators and drawer microwaves, which can
business. “John had the expertise of being an efficient be installed in a kitchen island or family room, she says.
bookkeeper, so he was the accountant. My uncle Stephen Other popular items: wine refrigerators and kegorators —
was in sales.” to keep that wine chilled and that beer on tap and ice cold.
The brothers moved the store to Northampton, then ran
a store in Allentown at 542 Hamilton St. from 1945 until One thing that hasn’t changed: The hard work required
1963, Krupa says, then “they moved up to 926 Hamilton. to run a business. “You have to be up on everything 24
We also had a store at Crest Plaza for a short period of hours a day, seven days a week. You have to work a lot.
time in the ’60s.” Most Saturdays I’m working. It’s something that’s either
in your blood or not in your blood,” Krupa says. “Life
is always changing, and if you’re not flexible enough to
change, you lose. So always be flexible. Be a part of the
new fascination.”
