Famous Tate has been serving generations of customers over the last 70 years with great deals on the best appliance & mattress brands, but not many people know how our company got it’s start…or how we became famous!
As we celebrate our 70th year, it’s a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come, while growing from our original storefront to 11 convenient locations around the Tampa Bay area…and being ranked in the top 25 dealers nationally! Founded in 1954 by Tampa resident Clarence Tate as Tate Electric, the company began selling metal cabinets, vacuum cleaners and small appliances. The product assortment soon expanded by becoming a GE Appliances dealer and Mr. Tate developed a steady business serving the growing North Tampa communities. He moved the business into a small former convenience store near the corner of Armenia & Waters Avenues and later added to his selection with more appliance brands and RCA Televisions…with just himself and his German Shepherd, Rudy minding the store. Known as “$10 Tate” among other dealers because he was rumored to sell products $10 over his cost, customers appreciated the low prices, selection and great service he provided.
In 1973, Mr. Tate was approached by, John Horst, a young power tools salesman who, along with his schoolteacher wife, Marilyn, owned a small apartment building in South Tampa, about possibly selling the business. Mr. Horst had been purchasing appliances over the phone from Mr. Tate as the apartment building’s former owner had recommended – ”Just call Tate, that’s where I get my appliances and air conditioners”. Mr. Horst was not wealthy and really didn’t have the resources to purchase a business, but was an aspiring entrepreneur and very astute with finding smart investments…and enjoyed finding sellers willing to help Mr. Tate asked him how much money he had. And Mr. Horst answered that he had a small amount of savings, but would like Mr. Tate to consider financing the purchase. He was basically laughed out of the building while Mr. Tate sat on a washing machine and resumed watching his baseball game on a small television. However, Mr. Horst was eager to stop traveling across the Southeast selling for Stanley Tools and owning his own business, so even after Mr. Tate initially expressed no interest in selling his business, he continued to look for other businesses for sale. About 6 months later, Mr. Tate called and said “If you want to buy my business, you better get down here this afternoon”. Mr. Tate had decided he was ready to retire at that point and wanted to talk about how they could work out a sale of Tate Electric. After some negotiations, a deal was struck for $8,500 and Mr. Horst now owned a forklift, a vending machine, some office equipment, a couple peices of inventory, a manual check writer, the Tate Electric name along with the Tate’s street sign and assumed the lease of the small building.
The first few months were pretty tough as Mr. Horst transitioned from his sales job and began running the business…becoming both the store clerk and the delivery driver. (Not to mention the owner of the building found out the business had a new owner and decided to double the rent!) He found that Mr. Tate was having second thoughts about retirement and really didn’t want to share any helpful information about inventory, financing and other key aspects of the business, so it was time to thank Mr. Tate for his time and move forward. Plus, Rudy the German Shepherd, would lay in front of the restroom all day and growl any time someone tried to walk past…so it was pretty frustrating to be trapped by a guard dog in your own store! Mr. Horst worked hard to continue serving customers and was able to hire some part time employees to assist with deliveries and moving product around the store. The next few years were even tougher, with the oil embargo causing long waits to put fuel in the delivery truck (his personal truck!) and negotiating to purchase the rented building to help ensure a future for the company…but he persisted and hired his first full time sales associate in 1977. North Tampa development was booming in the late 1970’s and early 80’s, so Mr. Horst purchased the land surrounding the store and expanded the building to provide room for more appliance brands, as well as constructing a large warehouse to handle the increased inventory and room for more delivery trucks.
While joining his wife for a college reunion near Nashville, TN, Mr. Horst visited a local appliance dealer downtown called Famous State. He enjoyed learning about the business and really liked the sound of the company name. Mr Horst told the owner about his business, Tate Electric, and asked about mimicking the name, so after returning to Tampa, Mr. Horst updated the company signage to Famous Tate Electric. As the business grew and added mattresses, the company name many of you know and recognize was born – Famous Tate Appliance & Bedding Centers.
Famous Tate still operates from that original location at Armenia & Waters Avenues and added additional store locations where customers were driving from, starting with Brandon in 1986 and following with South Tampa and others as the years went on. Now operating 11 locations, Famous Tate is West Florida’s largest independent appliance & mattress dealer and proudly employees over 250 hardworking individuals. In 1973, there were 8 other independent appliance dealers in Tampa and over the last 70 years, many otheres opened up. But Famous Tate survived the competitive marketplace and earned each customer’s business…in part to Mr. Horst’s philosophies on running a business;
- Make the buying process as simple as possible
- Take pride in everything we sell
- Offer customers in-depth knowledge of the products and benefits through a highly trained sales staff and delivery team
- Provide customers with a friendly, low key environment that encourages repeat business – customers for life!
- Listen carefully to customers needs and execute the sale in a professional manner
- Think of customers first – not ourselves
- Always exceed customer expectations
- Make customers glad they shopped here
- Have fun!
- Make a profit
Customers for life is not just a motto at Famous Tate, but a way of life! We wouldn’t be here with the generations of customers that have chosen to shop local with our company…and for that, we are forever grateful. You make us Famous!
