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Woven into the community

Business profile

By R. R. Branstrom 5 min read

Sixteen years ago, Dan Bender purchased a building on Ludington Street and transitioned from one type of machine repair to another.

Now called Quality Sew & Vac, the premises at 1017 Ludington St. have provided service and retail sales of both vacuum cleaners and sewing machines since least least 1960.

The store holds space in the Escanaba Central Historic District, which is over a mile long and encompasses the town’s main street from the 200 block to the 1900 block. The buildings in the stretch date mostly from the early 1880s to the mid-1960s. The district was established in 2014.

The building where Quality Sew & Vac operates was constructed between 1888 and 1893, with its present front added between 1913 and 1921, states the National Register of Historic Places. Unlike others in the district, it is a single-story building.

The first recorded use of the building, before the turn of the century, was as a meat shop. It was then a saloon from 1899 through at least 1913, Sanborn maps show, and a fruits and vegetables store by 1921. Under proprietors Krist and Lito, the Escanaba Fruit Store was in business at the location through 1948. In the 1950s, 1017 Ludington housed Reese’s Appliance Store.

By the time Delta Sewing Center arrived on the scene, it was owned and operated by Pat McGee. An advertisement published in the Daily Press in 1963 boasted that the Delta Sewing Center featured Singer sewing machines, Singer vacuums, complete rapair service, parts and accessories, free estimates, pickup and delivery, used machines and home demonstrations.

After McGee, Lawrence “Larry” Smith took over Delta Sewing Center. When it was purchased by Doug and Nancy Meyer around 1981, they changed the name to Meyer’s Sew & Vac.

Residents may recall an ad that said, “Meyer’s vacuums really suck.”

Owner Tom Harris renamed the business to Quality Sew & Vac in 1984.

Bender, who was at the time and still is a realtor, had been working over 20 years repairing copiers, printers and typewriters. He’d been considering buying a business in Escanaba for some time, partially because the company he worked for was getting bought out, before he stepped into Dave Harris’s office at State Wide Real Estate.

Dave Harris the realtor is reportedly of no known relation to store owner Tom Harris.

“I’d been looking for years for a business, you know, to try and do something different,” Bender said. “I walked in (Dave’s) office and said, ‘Is there anything in this town worth buying?’ He said, ‘Quality Sew & Vac.'”

Bender headed downtown to meet Tom and check out the business, and everything “just worked out,” Bender said.

He practiced working alongside Tom for one month before the purchase in November 2020, and then Tom stayed on to help with the transition for another month after, Bender relayed.

His skills from working in copy repair transferred quite well to sewing machine and vacuum repair, Bender found. He’s also fixed and rewired other appliances from time to time.

Both the vacuums and the sewing machines make up good portions of the business, Bender reported. Many sewing machines are hearty and can last a long time, so repairs are not uncommon for people who use their machines a lot.

The busiest time of year at Quality Sew & Vac is before Christmas, Bender said, often because people want to complete sewing projects as presents.

Other than that, “there’s no rhyme or reason when people buy things,” he noted.

When he bought the business, the sewing machine stock was a bit different, as Harris solely dealt Janome, Bender said.

He likes the Janome brand and continues to sell them, but also carries additional machines and parts — Kirby and Riccar, for instance. Quality Sew & Vac also does special orders for customers.

Sewing machines come in a variety of sizes and quality; some are simple and unchanged from decades ago while others have computer interfaces for programming embroidery.

As far as vacuums go, “When I first started, Dyson was the the big one,” Bender said. “Now the Shark’s the big thing because they’re light and they’re cheap.”

Inside Quality Sew & Vac, decorated by a previous owner to resemble a Bavarian-style cottage, Bender carries a range of accessories in addition to machines. For decades, customers have been coming to 1017 Ludington St. for replacement vacuum bags.

The biggest change Bender has seen to the business in the last 16 years, he said, would have to be the internet, because of the competition and the options created for consumers.

“The internet… obviously, negatively impacted any small business. Everybody knows it,” Bender said. “But, you know, you can match their prices online and still have the training and service in town, so that’s what we try to do,” he explained. “And sometimes even beat the online prices.”

A solid customer base of regulars visit Quality Sew & Vac from around the Upper Peninsula. Bender also travels to events like quilting expos and county fairs, where he sees clients who know him.

In the past, Quality Sew & Vac provided sewing classes, and Bender intends to host them again soon. He’s looking forward to having a road in front of the shop again.

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