O'Keefe and Merritt

O'Keefe and Merritt (often written as O'Keefe & Merritt) was a Los Angeles-based appliance company. Their gas ranges and stand-alone ovens were particularly popular in Southern California in the middle of the 20th Century.

O'Keefe and Merritt Manufacturing Company
TypeDefunct
IndustryAppliance
Fateclosed down: late 1980s (approx.)
Founded1920
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Productsgas ranges, electric ranges, built-in gas cooktops and ovens, refrigerators

History

O'Keefe and Merritt Manufacturing Company began operations in Los Angeles in 1920.[1] In 1950, Tappan purchased the company in a $5 million transaction, but management remained in Los Angeles and the company continued to produce 500-600 ranges each day.[2][3]

Features

Stove features included the "Grillevator," designed for broiling large items like hams or turkeys. The Automatic Burner Control (A.B.C.) allowed chefs to set the burners to turn off after a particular amount of time.[4]

The large Aristocrat model featured three ovens and two broilers, weighing 734 pounds. [5]

Popularity

In December 1951, Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus fame ordered an Aristocrat for his wife, having it shipped from Los Angeles by air.[5]

See also

References
  1. Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board. National Labor Relations Board. 1947.p. 780
  2. "What's new with manufacturers". Gas Appliance Merchandising Vol. 23. January 1951. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) p. 22.
  3. "California". Industry Week Volume 128, Part 1. 1951. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) p. 127.
  4. Care and Use of your new O'Keefe & Merritt Automatic Gas Range. O'Keefe and Merritt.
  5. "Wanted one gas range Via Air Express". Gas Appliance Merchandising Vol. 24. March 1952. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) p. 13.
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