Capel Family to Receive SF Mart Platinum Passes

Furniture World Magazine

In recognition of 50 years of exhibiting at the San Francisco Mart, the Mart will award Lifetime Platinum Passes to A. Leon Capel, Jr., Jesse S. Capel, and Arron W.E. Capel of Capel, Incorporated. The men will be honored in a ceremony at noon on January 17 at the San Francisco Mart's Tenant Market Luncheon. The SFM Lifetime Platinum Pass is presented to manufacturing executives and sales representatives who have distinguished themselves through years of service in their careers in the industry, and who have demonstrated long-term support for the San Francisco Mart. The Capel story began in 1917 when A. Leon Capel, Sr., sought new uses for his rope materials. He struck on the idea of braiding these materials rather than twisting them into a rope, then stitching this braid with a sewing machine in concentric circles to make rugs. This was the first time anyone had manufactured braided yarn rugs, and he appropriately named these rugs New Departure. New Departure rugs found immediate consumer acceptance. In 1926, Capel began manufacturing a chenille yarn and the first braided chenille rugs, called Old Homestead, followed. In January 1978, Old Homestead was selected for the Floor Covering Hall of Fame in Chicago. The braided rug business continued to grow, and in 1936, Capel bought a small spinning mill at Capelsie, North Carolina. A. Leon and Clara Capel had three sons during the 1930s, A. Leon Capel, Jr., Jesse S. Capel, and Arron W.E. Capel. In 1957, when their sons began returning home from school and military service, the business A. Leon Capel and Sons, Inc., was formed. The spinning mill at Capelsie was part of the original corporation; a separate corporation formed in 1960, establishing Capelsie Mills, Inc. In 1976, the company acquired a second spinning mill, which was originally built by Arron W.E. Capel, Sr. in 1898. The purchase further increased the manufacturing space available for both spinning yarns and manufacturingbraided rugs. A. Leon Capel & Sons, Inc. changed its name to Capel, Incorporated on July 9, 1980. Today, manufacturing operations are completely vertical. Capel is responsible for its own spinning, dyeing, weaving, braiding, sewing and selling. Intensive product development has resulted in an outstanding selection of rugs. The company operates five showrooms around the country open daily to the design trade, including the one at the San Francisco Mart. Today, 80 years after stitching that first rug, Capel is one of the most successful and diversified organizations in the rug business. A member of the Capel family oversees each area of operation. This personal dedication to quality and value has made Capel America's largest manufacturer and importer of area rugs.