Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/143040
employees. Having heard that jobs were plentiful in Chicago, the trio took their meager savings and bought an $11 seat on a train bound for the city. They arrived at the La Salle Street Station just in time for Sam to meet a boy from the Home, Phil Zohn. Through an acquaintance, Phil found Sam a place to live with the Siskind family, whose son, Louis, also had come from the Home. Phil worked for Albert Pick & Co., a firm that supplied hotel and restaurant equipment. Dick Ratner, a department manager at the company, gave Sam a job in the billing department. As an office clerk, he was responsible for checking purchase orders and invoices."A new life was finally beginning to open up for me," said Sam, who was 17 at the time."Working for Albert Pick & Co. brought me back into the world." Sam was then 17 years old. Albert Pick & Co. was a leader in merchandising,and known for its innovative products and ideas. Among them were bowling alley equipment and supplies, artificial flowers and vending machines. A specialty of the company's was matchboxes with the customer's ad printed on top. As new products were added, Sam's The FSEI Advantage FSEI gave credibility to dealers. We increased our status among our customers by teaching them the advantages to be gained by working with dealers—credit, delivery, etc.—services that we had to charge for, but were worthwhile. We passed this message to our customers and to the entire industry as well. responsibilities increased as well."I was keeping inventory, handling purchase orders and finding ways to move overstocks—anything I could do to learn about the company,"he said."Albert Pick was an extremely well-organized organization and very aggressive.We were a full-line distributorship, with china, glassware and flatware departments.We supplied carpeting, draperies, linen and furniture as well. "Our salesmen handled all lines. We had no specialists, except in the areas of billiards and soda fountain equipment. The sales force numbered about 50 and were supported by our comprehensive company catalog. In my early years with the company, large portions of our customers were saloon and tavern operators. Change was constant, however, and as our product line and capabilities grew, we began to equip upscale hotels and white tablecloth restaurants, as well as soda parlors and billiard halls." Another bright spot in Sam's life occurred in 1917 when he married Florence Ginsberg. They were happily married for many years. A Changing Industry As economic times worsened and Prohibition set in, Albert Pick, the founder and president of the distribution company, became disillusioned with the foodservice equipment business and began to devote more time to his interest in a chain of hotels located in Florida and other major cities. "By this time," Sam recalled, "the industry was beginning to change, with the food houses taking over more and more of our lines. It became necessary to drop some lines altogether and to focus more closecontinued on page 43 FSEI founder Sam Anoff (first row, fourth from right) stands with fellow FSEI members. Anoff remained active in the Association well into his late 90's. July/August 2013 21