Charlotte Chair Company was started by E.J. Elles and Frank Spaulding in 1912, but soon after 1920, E.J. Elles became the sole owner. In 1921, the plant grew to 34,000 sq. feet and 30 employees. The building is located in North Cochran, where James Brandt Company is now. The company’s only product then was dining room chairs. They had a special patented locking method for securing the seat and arms to the back. This made for an exceptionally strong chair. It was merchandised with tables and other dining room furniture from other manufacturers. In 1930, the plant acquired the old Dolson/duplex Truck factory, and began using oak wood. By 1935, Edward Elles joined the company. He soon became the general manger, and then the sole owner.
During World War 2, material to maintain the factory was hard to obtain, but luckily, the factory received a few war grants to produce wooden items for the military. After the war, the chair factory began to secure so other business contracts instead of just doing personal chairs. They built many chairs for commercial businesses, like restaurants, offices, and even the Chicago Civic Center.
By 1956, the chair factory shifted its focus from commercial building of new chairs to repairing and reproducing antique chairs. They began by building many restored chairs for the State House in Springfield, IL. In 1969, the Charlotte Chair Company was sold to a conglomerate, The Illinois Iron and Bolt Company, and both of the plants were sold to other companies.
During World War 2, material to maintain the factory was hard to obtain, but luckily, the factory received a few war grants to produce wooden items for the military. After the war, the chair factory began to secure so other business contracts instead of just doing personal chairs. They built many chairs for commercial businesses, like restaurants, offices, and even the Chicago Civic Center.
By 1956, the chair factory shifted its focus from commercial building of new chairs to repairing and reproducing antique chairs. They began by building many restored chairs for the State House in Springfield, IL. In 1969, the Charlotte Chair Company was sold to a conglomerate, The Illinois Iron and Bolt Company, and both of the plants were sold to other companies.