Rheinschmidt Tile and Marble

In 1935 Walter Rheinschmidt was asked to take a cut in pay due to difficult economic conditions. After discussing the matter with his wife Erma, they decided to trade in the family car, for a panel van (shown at right), and go into business for themselves sellling and installing linoleum flooring.

Their garage became their warehouse, eventually requiring an "exapnsion". Their fleet of vehicles grew from one to two (shown at right), and then to four. And by 1945 they moved to a storefornt and designed their first showroom featured in the Linoleum Logic publication.

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Five short years later, Walter Rheinschmid died at the age of 38, leaving behind his wife Erma, and three sons, Lloyd, 14, Larry, 11, and Jim, 6. Erma was encouraged to sell the business by their bank, but with the support of her brother Russel, and local general contractor Carl A. Nelson, she decided to keep the business going. Walter's brothers had also been a big part of the business, but as Erma's boys got older, and more involved in the business, Paul, Al, and Emil decided to start their own flooring business, Burlington Linoleum and Tile.

Over next decade, each of Erma's sons would take their turn serving in the armed forces. Lloyd in the Navy, Larry in the army, then Jim in the Navy. At right, you can see Lloyd, and Larry, celebrating Rheinschmidt Flooring's 20th anniversary, along with Erma her brother Russel.