2010 marks our 75th year in business, and incase you're wondering just how we got here, we've created a [very summarized] timeline marking significant moments in our history from 1935 to 2010.

1935

• David Radway and Lawrence Weingarten are working for a coffee company in Chicago and decide to start their own company on Turner Street in Lansing. They put together $1000 each, and bring along a colleague, Joe Block, who asked to go with them.
• On August 7, 1935, Paramount Coffee opens its doors, and David Radway brings in the first order of 10 pounds.
• By the end of the year, 14,292 pounds had been sold.
• In addition to coffee, tea, spices, and chocolate are also sold at Paramount.
• First expenses of the fledgling company are: a grinder, bags, tape, stapler and staples, and two trucks. One truck cost $31.11 a month, the other $21.50.
• Paramount’s coffee at this point is imported from Swanson Bros. in Chicago.

1936

• A new truck is purchased, and a route is set up.

1937

• New office equipment and plant equipment are purchased, along with a fourth truck.

1939

• First Paramount secretary is hired.
• Salad dressing is added to product list.

1941

• Amsco heat sealing machine is purchased for sealing coffee bags.
• The building next door is leased for $80 a month.

1942

• Rough times for Paramount due to the war. Coffee purchases are cut to 50% by order of the War Production board. Blending of substitutes is permitted, so “Victory Blend” is created. However, routes are cut to delivering only every two weeks, except in Lansing. Fort Wayne’s deliveries are stopped completely and part of the Grand Rapids’ route as well.
• Joe Block, the colleague from Chicago, is drafted into the war.

1943

• War rages on, but the coffee rationing ends on July 29.
• The decision is made to buy a building at a new location: our current one, 130 North Larch Street.

1944

• Relocation to the two-story Larch Street building occurs in January.

1945

• The war is over, and Joe Block returns in November.

1946

• On July 1st, the company becomes a corporation and begins using a fiscal year for accounting purposes.

1947

• Automatic bag opener is purchased.

1948

• Current Paramount retiree Bruce Block is born to Joe and Helen Block.
• A bathroom is added to the upstairs plant.

1949

• An elevator to the upstairs is installed.
• The Blue Cross Group insurance plan is adopted by the company.
• The coffee tasting room table and cuspidor [spittoon] are purchased, and still in use today.

1950

• Building starts on Paramount’s coffee roasting plant, and Paramount begins the tradition in October of roasting its own coffee.

1951

• The roasting plant is complete.

1953

• Office is officially closed on Saturdays.

1954

• Delivery routes get numbered.

1955

• Air conditioning installed, and a postage meter and electric typewriter are purchased.

1957

• David’s son, Ron Radway, joins the sales team.

• Inter State Food corporation is formed to separate allied products from coffee products.

1958

• Bunn-O-Matic warmers and brewers debut.

1959

• First “Distinguished Salesman Award” contest won by Ron Radway.
• New conveyors, a portable bag closer, and an automatic weigher are purchased.

1961

• L.B. Weingarten, Larry’s son, runs the Lansing route.
• Ron Radway is promoted to Assistant Sales Manager.

1964

• Larry Weingarten passes away.

1969

• Gold Cup Coffee in Detroit joins the corporate family and has its name changed to Paramount of Detroit. At this point, Paramount is distributing to every major market in Michigan along with some in neighboring states.

1970

• Joe Block passes away.

1973

• The last available adjacent piece of property at the time is purchased: a 33,000 square foot warehouse.

1977

• David Radway passes away, and Ron Radway becomes president

1978

• Paramount Coffee Service Company is formed, split off to cater to offices instead of restaurants.

1983

• First route in Flint is opened.

1984

• Plans to move from the Larch Street location (because of increasing space problems) are halted when a car dealership’s property becomes available next door and across the road, and is purchased by the company.

1986

• Paramount Gourmet Coffee is formed, splitting to cater to specialty coffees and retail aspects.
• Paramount’s retail store is opened for customers to purchase coffee at our facility.

1990

• The service department moves to the property across the road.

1991

• Ron Radway passes away.

1993

• The private label program begins.

1995

• The service department moves from across the road to make room for the Lugnuts’ Oldsmobile Park.

1996

• Paramount Coffee of Detroit is merged into Paramount Coffee Company/Paramount Coffee Service Company in May.

1999

• The Paramount Coffee retail store is closed in July.
• Paramount begins selling Fair Trade coffees.

2000

• The Radway family sells the company to its employees, which keeps Paramount from being bought up by a national company. The company has been employee-owned since.
• All the individual companies are merged legally into one in October.
• New Triangle Paramount logo is established.
• Lila Radway passes away.

2004

• Sparrow Tree/Toys each department sponsors a patient and family

2005

• Online sales on paramountcoffee.com begin.

2006

• Paramount’s current logo is unveiled.
• New Gourmet packaging is rolled out, with five different colors denoting what’s inside (red = regular, green = decaf, purple = fair trade/organic, blue = flavored, orange = flavored decaf.)

• Paramount begins working Michigan State University’s agricultural program to distribute One Thousands Hills Fair Trade Rwanda Coffee.
  • $1 from each pound sold goes back to the Rwandan people who harvest the beans.
  • $30,000 has been raised for the Rwandans so far.
• Paramount employees begin participating in Special Olympics walk-a-thon.
• Paramount employees begin participating in Junior Achievement Bowling Day.

2007

• Ele’s Place Coffee is created. For every bag sold, $1 goes to the organization that helps grieving children. Currently, Paramount has raised $10,000 for Ele’s Place.
• Paramount roasts and packages a breast cancer awareness coffee called Caffe Rosa from October 2007 – October 2008.
  • $1 from each bag goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
• The Business 2 Business (B2B) website is created to make ordering easier for business customers.
• Paramount opens an Amazon account.
• Paramount employees volunteer at Ronald McDonald House of Mid-Michigan every second Monday of every month.

2008

• Paramount sets up an eBay account in March.
• The Business Connection website is set up, giving customers the latest information.

2009

• Joe Coffee and mi coffee (highlighting Michigan flavors) debut in summer.
• Single serving pods come out in summer.

• Ann Arbor supplier Arbor Mitchell is acquired in the third quarter.

2010

• 75 years!

Sincere thanks goes out to all of our loyal customers, past and present employees, and everyone else who has supported us throughout our journey in the world and business of coffee. We wish everyone the best in 2010!