Over 100 Years of Holick's:
Joseph
Holick was born in 1868 in Moravia which became part of Czechoslovakia
after WWI. His main interest was in music which his parents considered
frivolous so they sent him to cobbler school in Vienna, This was
during the era of Strauss waltzes. Grampa told me he missed several
classes to attend concerts of Johann Strauss in the park. When he
returned home he was still hassling with his parents over his not
wanting to be a shoemaker. By then at least two of his four brothers
had left for America so young Joseph, only 16 years old stowed away
on a steamer headed for America and the romaticized life of a rugged
cowboy. After several failed attempts at bronc busting and tired
of cleaning stalls he hopped a freight train headed for Orange Texas
and the salt grass trail. He fell asleep while the train was side-
tracked and disconnected in Bryan and woke up stranded and penniless.
Within a few days he had a part time job as a shoemaker in Bryan
and another job as a shoemaker and bugler working in his dorm room
at Texas A&M; College. His interest and talent as a musician attracted
other musician to gather in his room. After a few months he approached
the military college with the idea of a military band which was
established and funded by the Texas State Guard and all 12 members
wore the Texas Guard uniform. Joseph was the first Aggie band master
and served as band master intermittently for many years. Names of
other interim bandmasters: North, Day and Dunn appear as names of
streets which intersect Holick Lane in the area which was once his
farm. He continued making and repairing the short lace-up boots,
but established his own business near what is now the intersection
of Church street and Wellborn Road. The tall Aggie Boot, the way
it looks now, was not a part of the A&M; cadet uniform until the
late 20's and was fashioned after the US Cavalry "Rough Riders"
boots. By then Holick and Sons had moved to the brick building where
it is today at 106 College Main. The Holick's nametags and insignia
business was started by Johnnie Holick around 1950 while his brother
was on flight status at Bryan Air Force Base. Johnnie hand tooled
a leather nametag from some scrap leather at the boot shop. Flight
personnel travel so word-of-mouth spread fast. Johnnie actually
invented the clear vinyl pocket which held the nametags on the flightsuits
before the advent of velcro. Meanwhile he invented and long held
the patent for the lamination process to make laundryproof rank
insignia and nametags which really caught on when the velcro came
on the market. Over the years Holick's has made nametags for presidents,
chiefs of staff, astronauts and visiting dignitaries.
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General
Contact:
Holick's
Mfg Co
4315 Welborn Rd
PO Box 264
Bryan
Texas, USA
General
Information:
info@holicks.com
Sales
Information:
sales@holicks.com
Government
Sales:
govtsales@holicks.com
ph 979.846.6721
800.730.TAGS
fx 979.846.0072
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