Never the Same

In the electronics industry where nothing seems to stay the same, one family has remained steady since 1953.

Hutch & Son, an industrial electronics and components supplier at 300 N. Main St., was started by J.W. Hutch and E.R. Taylor in 1953 in Lima, Ohio. Later that same year, Taylor purchased the store and brought the headquarters to Evansville. The business was later passed to his sons John Paul, John Smith “Smitty,” and John William Taylor in the 90s. Today, Smitty, the president, is semi-retired and his son Tony Taylor and daughter Stacey DeVault are involved in the daily operations.

“We’ve been evolving as the technology has been changing,” says Smitty, who has seen the business change from the release of microwave ovens and televisions to the closure of thousands of RadioShack stores nationwide. “There have been so many changes. There is nothing in our business that is the same.”

Tony, who works as the vice president and general manager, has seen these changes firsthand since he started working for Hutch & Son sweeping the floors and talking with customers as a 12 year old in the late 1970s. The business started at 919 Vine St. and was later moved in 1969 to 300 N. Main St. in the location of a former Kroger. In December 2000, the building was destroyed in an electrical fire. They moved to a temporary location while rebuilding at 300 N. Main St. and moved back in for business in May 2002.

Hutch & Son is a member of EDGE Marketing & Procurement, a distributor-owned buying and marketing group, which purchases and follows the latest item trends, and represents the top manufacturers and suppliers in the industry with more than 200 lines. Hutch & Son offers audio, computer, and television accessories and cables, connectors, components, fans, wall mounts, and more.

While it has the newest products, it also keeps a range of older technology to meet the needs of the local factories and plants.

“Just keeping up with the latest and greatest is hard enough to do,” says Tony, “but there are so many plants in Evansville that are still supporting old machinery and don’t have the time or money to change the entire system. We keep a range of items in stock.”

Any product a customer may need, Hutch & Son has access to it, says Tony.

For more information about Hutch & Son, call 800-457-3520 or visit hutch-and-son.com.

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