The Panola Watchman (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. [136], No. [16], Ed. 1 Sunday, February 24, 2008 Page: 53 of 58
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Name.
Address
www.americanprofile.com • Page 19
in 1850 and was in the business of carv-
ing ivory billiard cue balls, constructing
cabinetry, and repairing billiard tables
and equipment, In 1882, Ernsts son,
Oscar, began crafting the company's first
pool tables.
Today, the AE. Schmidt Billiard Co.
is rhe oldest family-owned billiard table
manufacturer in the nation. Among the
company's 20 employees are Kurt's wife,
Karen, who works in the front office, and
his aunt, Gwen, 91j who's been crocheting
linen pool-table pockets for more than 40
years. "She can make one pocket a day,"
Kurt says. “That’s her limit."
Karen hand-dyes the crocheted pockets
black, brown, or any color a customer
selects.
A sixth generation of Schmidts also is
learning the business. Kurt’s son, Michael,
a 21.-year-old college student, works part-
time for the company, and daughters
Stephanie, 17, and Rachel, 15, often help
out in the factory.
Schmidt workers build about 600 tables
a year, each requiring 22 hours or more to
construct. The tables—with names such
as Kashmir, Majestic, Xanadu and Ivan-
hoe—often include ornate hand-turned
legs, colored trim, and mother of pearl
table sites, and are constructed out of oak,
cherry, maple, walnut, hickory or cedar. A
basic model sells for around $2,000, while
elegant high-end models such as the
Carsten Diner cost more than $6,500.
The company's customers range from
(Continued on page 21)
Customizing
Billiard Tables
by MARGARET SCHROEDER
customer only wants a couple of things changed,"
he says. “They'll look at our basic models and just
want to dress it up a bit.”
The Schmidt family has been dressing up bil-
liard tables for generations. Kurt’s great-great
grandfather, Ernst Schmidt, started the company
.State Zip.
"I’ve never met a challenge I didn’t like," says
Schmidt, 48, whose great-great grandfather found-
ed the company in 1850.
Building a 7-foot billiard table that can seat up
to 12 dinner guests was a challenge because it had
never been done before. The table had to be at a
comfortable height for both dining and playing
pool, but it couldn't be so low to touch a diner's
knees.
“Six months later, I’d built my fifth frame and
I still couldn’t make it hold the slate properly," he
says, referring to the table’s main playing surface.
"The first snapped in. half from the weight of the
slate. The second, third, fourth and fifth seemed to
hold, but after a week started to sag."
Eventually, Schmidt solved the problem and The
Carsten Diner—named for the customer—came
to life. “That’s what makes us different from other
pool companies," he says. "We can cake an idea and
bring it life."
Of course, most of A.E. Schmidt Billiard Co.'s
tables aren’t as challenging to build. “Our average
m* Zooms up to 15 Feet in One Season!
V Fruits are Rich.Red,Meaty and Large - Up to 2 Lbs Each
w* Guaranteed to Produce Bushels of Delicious Tomatoes
Easy to Plant & Grow Prize Winning Tomatoes_________
Imagine, each plant can produce up to 2-3 bushels of large
and luscious mouth-watering tomatoes in less than 90
days. Fruit is incredibly sweet and juicy, full of old
fashioned gourmet tomato flavor weighing up to 2 lbs.
each. Practically.no effort...No pruning...No trimming.
Simply sit back and watch them grow "Prize Winning"
giant-size gourmet tomatoes. It's that simple.
IT’S LIKE A TOMATO FACTORY IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD!!
Grows indoors or outdoors. A showpiece for patio or
garden. You'll receive Nurseryman's Starter Pots containing
everything you need to grow your Italian Tree Tomatoes...
pre-treated... ready to sow with easy-to-follow instructions.
Absolutely guaranteed to grow or your money back!
Kurt Schmidt, owner of the A.E.
Schmidt Billiard Co. in St. Louis, loves a chal-
lenge. So when he received a call in 2006 from
a customer in Oregon asking for a custom-size
pool table that also served as a dining room
table, he jumped at the chance.
Send to: Rush Industries, Inc. Dept.TP646HC
263 Horton Highway, Mineola. NY 11501
Please send me my-Italian Tree Tomatoes now!
SPECIAL! a 2 For Only $6 98 + $2.95 s&h
SALE! 4 For Only $9.98 + $3.95 S&h
SAVE! 8 For Only $1798 + $4.95 s&h
SUPER SAVER! 10 For Only $19 98 + $5.95 s&h
Enclosed is $ Or Charge It!
Exp. Date ________
Acct. #________________________________________________________
Kurt
Schmidt at their St. Louis billiard business
Made in
Amerj
OF TOMATOES
easy to grow
no tnort
PRODUCE
OVER
n Rush Industries, Inc. '
Quality Products Since 1977
ITALIAN
TREE
TOMATO
30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE SAH)
The Carsten Diner, which trans-
forms from a dinner table into
|xx»l table, is one of Schmidt’s
handcrafted creations.
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The Panola Watchman (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. [136], No. [16], Ed. 1 Sunday, February 24, 2008, newspaper, February 24, 2008; Carthage, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1206946/m1/53/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sammy Brown Library.