Paul Secon

Paul Secon (July 13 1916 – February 24 2007) was an American entrepreneur who co-founded Pottery Barn with his brother, Morris, in 1950.

Born in Philadelphia, Secon was the son of Russian immigrants. He was musically gifted, and played the trumpet, piano, oboe, and flute. In 1950, he was a music editor for Billboard,Variety and creative songwriter having written for Nat King Cole,The Mills Brothers and many more whilst living in New York City when he heard about a business opportunity from Morris. Morris' wife had recently purchased stoneware at a yard sale in their hometown of Rochester, New York. Morris took a liking to the pieces, which were designed by Glidden Parker at his factory in Alfred, New York. Parker informed him that he had three barns full of discontinued or slightly damaged products for sale. The brothers decided to buy the pieces for US$2,500, and, with the help of their father, rented a store on 10th Avenue in New York City to sell their wares, thus giving birth to Pottery Barn.

A year later, an article in "The New Yorker" praised the store, and customers flocked to it in droves. Paul remained store manager, while Morris, who was also musically inclined, became principal hornist for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and teacher at the Eastman School of Music. In 1959 Paul started taking long trips to Europe in search of new product lines, and asked Morris to help manage the store. In 1966, Paul sold the company to Morris and moved to Denmark, where he pursued his earlier career of music and writing, and where his son, Lucas Secon, was born. In 1980, Paul moved back to the United States and settled back in Manhattan before relocating to Rochester in 1997, where he died at his home at the age of 90.

References

*Hevesi, Dennis (March 7 2007). " [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/07/business/07secon.html?ref=obituaries Paul Secon, Entrepreneur Who Helped Found Pottery Barn, Dies at 91] ". "The New York Times". Retrieved on March 8 2007.
*Miller, Stephen (March 6 2007). " [http://www.nysun.com/article/49862 Paul Secon, 91, Founded Pottery Barn] ". "The New York Sun". Retrieved on March 8 2007.
*Diaz, Fernando (March 3 2007). " [http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/NEWS01/703030348/1002/NEWS Pottery Barn's co-founder dies at 91] ". "Democrat and Chronicle". Retrieved on March 8 2007.

Persondata
NAME=Secon, Paul
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=20th century American entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH=July 13 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH=February 24 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=Rochester, New York