Last of their kind

From barber poles to limburger cheese, these 5 companies are the last left in America making iconic products now in their twilight.

1 of 5
BACKNEXT
Barber poles
Barber poles
Barber poles may be a fading icon, but they're still a family business for Bob Marvy (right) and his three sons.

The red-and-white poles that adorn barber shops may be iconic, but they're fast fading into a nostalgic relic. William Marvy Company, the last known manufacturer in North America of the poles, typically sells 500 of them each year, down from 5,100 in the company's late-1960s heyday.

Bob Marvy, a second-generation owner of the St. Paul, Minn., company, dates the industry's slowdown back to an unlikely source: The Beatles. The Fab Four and their trendy mop-tops ruined it for barbers, he thinks. Men who previously went to barber shops weekly for their clean-cut looks started waiting two or even three weeks between trims.

Competition from cheaper poles out of China and Japan also added pressure, putting three other U.S. manufacturers out of business. That left William Marvy as the last American barber pole maker in the business.

The 74-year-old company has diversified to survive. It now sells other items of barber nostalgia, as well as sanitation systems for combs, brushes and manicure supplies. The company also gets a significant chunk of business from antique dealers and collectors needing repairs on old poles.

"We now make parts for almost every barber pole that's ever been produced," Marvy says. "It's a small business, but we keep working at it."

By Annalyn Censky, staff reporter

NEXT: Stock trader jackets
Email | Print | Share
 
google my aol my msn my yahoo! netvibes
Paste this link into your favorite RSS desktop reader
See all CNNMoney.com RSS FEEDS (close)
LAST UPDATE: Apr 22 2010 | 8:13 AM ET
More Galleries
5 startups that are reimagining the world Bricks that grow from microorganisms, household garbage turned into art, three-wheeled bike-cars -- these startups are redefining urban living. More
Blue collar entrepreneurs These five entrepreneurs took their blue collar experience and used it to launch innovative businesses. More
7 lifehacks to eliminate your holiday hassle Whether curating the perfect gift or finding a pet-sitter, these startups offer time-saving services that might just seem like holiday magic. More
Sponsors

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.