Here he is!
That old go-getter himself, Wilfred "MAC" MacDonald (circa 1930's)
And here's where he, with his brother Charles, began distributing
the new "Jacobsen Power Lawn Tools" from Weehawken, NJ to
local dealers who in turn sold the equipment to home owners.
The Weehawken location also served as the "Factory Warranty Station"
where equipment owners could visit for parts & service.
Here's Mac accepting one of the very first "Distributor Of The Year" awards
from the founders of the Jacobsen Manufacturing Company of Racine Wisconsin.
Oscar Jacobsen on the left, and Einer Jacobsen to the right.
Mac and Charles kept their business "in the black"
throughout the Great Depression (not to mention a few wars).
The business at 3800 Park Avenue, Weehawken continued
to expand, but the building itself wasn't getting any bigger, so in
1962 Mac took his business a few miles west to roomier quarters
at 340 Main Avenue Clifton
The Jacobsen Mfg. Company was also growing. As their focus changed from the "home lawns market" to the "golf course market" they appointed Mac's company as a direct factory-to-user dealer for the "turf and commercial" (golf course) equipment. Then in 1963...
Jim Pelrine started
with the company. It didn't take long for Mac to realize he could leave his company in
good hands with his nephew Jim at the helm. Wilfred retired in 1966 to become a
"citizen of the world"(Mac loved to travel). His nephew incorporated the company
in his honor, thus "Wilfred MacDonald,Inc." began a new
company era. By the way, we still proudly display that orginal
"Wilfred MacDonald,Inc." sign (now safely inside our present building).
