Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2018 10 R obert (Bob) Burggraf started as a service manager for Montgomery Ward where he got the idea to open his own appliance service business from a small storefront in Lakewood, CA. It didn't take long for the word to get out that Bob knew how to keep appliances humming, and it meant an increasingly happy customer base. Soon Bob went from doing evening service calls to an appliance distributor selling to independent dealers in Southern California. In 1969, Caloric Corporation asked Bob to become the authorized service center for three Southern California cities. His territory soon grew to 10 cities, and Bob's small company was on its way to becoming R&B Wholesale Distributors, Inc (R&B) serving California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Like most businesses, R&B has seen its share of challenges. In the late '80s R&B struggled with the loss of its parts business and Kelvinator distributorship in Arizona. Determined to find a solution, Bob called Crosley Corporation and learned that they had an open territory in Arizona. Bert Miley of Crosley paid R&B a visit, and soon they were distributing Crosley Appliances. Bob then met the owners of G&S Distributing and acquired the struggling Crosley distributor in Southern California. This step eventually led to a further expansion of territory, distributing Crosley into the entire state of California. Today Bob's son, Chris Burggraf, sits on the Crosley board of directors, allowing R&B to participate in decision-making of the brand. "We are so fortunate to be shareholders of Crosley; it's the perfect protected line for independent dealers," says Bob. In 1994, Bob saw another opportunity for expansion and created the builder division, hiring Builder Sales Manager David Rhodes who is still with the company, along with many of his loyal customers. R&B believes the tenure of its sales people is a major component of their success. With sales representatives averaging more than 12 years with the company, they were able to provide knowledge and guidance their customers can count on. R&B'S BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY • Be nimble – Bob expects the unexpected — controlling overhead and expenses allows the company to be nimble. R&B proudly owns over 200,000 square feet of warehouse and office space and delivers to independent dealers using its fleet of nearly 40 trucks. • Foster great relationships – Whether it's vendors or customers, building solid relationships is paramount. That's why R&B takes pride in paying vendors on time and maintaining great credit. • Build and retain great talent – Having the support of great key employees and dedicated family members has helped build R&B's growth. Many employees are families who have spent their lives with R&B. To name a few: CFO-Controller Sam Hyder and Delivery-Install Manager Jose Arambula have been with the company for more than 40 years, and Commercial Division Manager Marikay Early has been with the company for more than 20 years. 2003 R&B moves headquarters to Ontario, CA, in an 80,000 square foot facility. 2004 R&B proudly becomes the Speed Queen Home Laundry Distributor. 2012 R&B purchases Noble Distributors in Arizona and moves into a larger warehouse in Phoenix, AZ. 2014 Bill Nixon joins R&B as Director of Retail Sales. 2017 R&B implements a new ERP system to better support business. 2016 R&B adds a Warehouse in Las Vegas, NV. 2018 R&B Celebrates 50 Years in Business! 50 TH ANNIVERSARY Bob and Masako Burggraf

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