On March 1, David’s Electric Inc. of Emmaus marked its 75th anniversary. Founded by Edward and Arlene David in 1946, the business remains a family enterprise with an emphasis on service.

David’s owners have always had multi-generational ties to the Emmaus community. For a time, Edward’s grandparents, both Emmaus natives, ran the Broad Street Saloon, currently the site of Volpe’s Sports Bar, which served as a saloon and opera house. In 1904, that building burned to the ground. Charlie David rebuilt the edifice and then sold it in 1905.

Edward was born in the family’s Broad Street home in 1911. He met Arlene, an Allentown resident, at an Emmaus Halloween parade in 1929. The couple wed and initially established David’s Electric at 710 Chestnut St. One year later, they relocated the business to the current location: 314 Main St., Emmaus.

Initially the Davids sold mainly stoves, freezers and refrigerators. Refrigerator manufacturers supplied their products on allocation; consequently, David’s might only receive a single refrigerator a month. Customers wishing to purchase one often had to place their names on a waiting list. For a time, Edward, a trained electrician, continued to work in that capacity in addition to selling and repairing appliances.

The Davids’ daughter Pat was 11 when her parents opened the store and she grew up learning the business. She recalls the first sale of a television in Emmaus in 1947. Produced by the Motorola Company, this early model boasted a 7-inch screen on which programs appeared in black and white. In 1955, she personally made the first sale of a color television in Emmaus.

Pat and her husband-to-be Harold Zentner Jr. met when Zentner was employed by David’s as a television technician. After her parents retired in 1982, Pat took over the business. Today, Pat, her son Harold Zentner III and grandson Matt Zentner continue the family tradition. As she states, “Everybody here is family.”

During the 1950s and 1960s, seven appliance stores were operating in Emmaus. Of that group, David’s continues to meet the needs of consumers today. The company has remained prosperous because it has continually evolved to meet the demands of the times.

From the 1940s until 1965, the store stocked a complete phonograph record department. As well as large appliances, David’s inventory has included all manner of small appliances. To keep up with current trends, about twice a year Harold and Matt travel to Harrisburg or Philadelphia to attend manufacturer-sponsored classes on appliance repair. However, one aspect of the business has never changed: the family’s commitment to providing customers with consistently excellent service.

More information on David’s Electric Inc. may be obtained by calling 610-965-4282, 610-967-3220 or visiting www.davidselectricinc.com.