Phoneco, Inc., a vintage phone business was started in our kitchen. Ron, a collector of antiques since childhood, bought 8 wooden wall phones that we refinished and rewired. We placed a newspaper ad and received 50 requests for the 8 phones. That initial success prompted Ron to purchase more phones, which we rapidly sold. Eventually we branched out to include various magneto, dial, and nondial pho
nes. Then we realized there is also a market for parts. Because we could not fill all the requests for originals we decided to have reproductions made from our designs. With Ron’s background in industrial arts, we were on pretty safe ground concerning wiring and refinishing. The time came when our part-time work required full-time hours so Ron retired from teaching to work full time in our new business. Phoneco, Inc was launched! Since that time we have gone from kitchen table to a four-level building in downtown Galesville. Ron concentrates on part of the work in a barn at our nearby farm where he has a small crew to help him, while I head up the order and supply business downtown along with about 40 employees. In 1981 we received our FCC registration so we are licensed to test, repair, and register any telephone that passes the FCC test. Our downtown building includes several departments including painting, polishing, rewiring, repairing, sorting, and shipping. Our office includes several women who take phone orders plus help customers who need extra information concerning parts. An important service we offer is phone restoration and repair. We have literally repaired hundreds of phones for grateful customers. Every week we receive letters from people who tell us they never thought they could have their parents’ or grandparents’ phones restored to working condition. It gives us great satisfaction as well to have a nice old phone restored to its former charm and become useful again. Working with old phones is almost a labor of love. All of our employees enjoy seeing shabby old phones become objects of pride. After hours of loving care these phones once again become welcome objects in many homes. Often the owners say they can’t believe it’s the same phone.
