Building the Black Baron

    Picture this... It's the mid 1930's and America is in the grips of the Great Depression. You've recently arrived from Poland and are struggling with a new language. There are no jobs. To support yourself, you offer to sell a new, modern convenience, the electric vacuum cleaner, in neighborhoods that have yet to be wired with electricity! Your name is Israel Stern and, while you don't know it, you're about to create a family dynasty.

    Not only does young Israel survive, he thrives on the challenge and delves into vacuum cleaners with a passion, learning how they are made and how to repair them. By 1939, he had saved enough to open a small retail store in the Bronx. He sold new vacuum cleaners, did repairs, reconditioned and sold trade-ins. When World War II broke out, manufacturers ceased making new vacuum cleaners. To survive, Israel shifted to reconditioning cleaners and selling attachments. Soon, peddlers were coming to the small Bronx store asking to sell his reconditioned vacuums and a new wholesale business began. These peddlers would also take trade-ins so Israel had a constant flow of incoming machines to recondition. During the war years, prices were regulated by the O.P.A. (The Office of Price Administration) which fixed the prices a company could charge for goods. Accessories like brushes, tool attachments and bags were exempt from regulation so Israel was able to pick up some extra income by promoting accessories to the peddlers that were selling his reconditioned cleaners.

    After the war, Israel expanded to seven retail locations and took on major appliances. The combination of going into a field he didn't know and operating branch locations where he didn't have hands-on control was disastrous. Within three years, the company was facing bankruptcy. Creditors were willing to settle for 50 cents on the dollar but Israel wouldn't hear of it. He closed all but one store, got out of major appliances and went back on the road. Every Monday morning he would pack his car with as many vacuums as he could and start peddling them to gas stations, barber shops, bars, anywhere there were people. He would return on Saturday, send some money to each of his creditors, rebuild any vacuums he had taken on trade and start out again Monday morning with a new load. It took years but eventually every creditor was paid in full.

    In 1951, Israel's son, Jules, joined the company full time. From 1951 through 1956, the company focused on reconditioning Electrolux vacuum cleaners. They would buy trade-ins from Electrolux, rebuild them to like-new condition and sell them to appliance, discount and 5 and Dime stores.

    Between 1957 and 1970, Metro introduced three innovative industry "firsts". In 1957, Metro launched a popularly priced, 110 volt, hand held vacuum cleaner. In 1964, Metro introduced the first 12 volt automotive, hand held, vacuum cleaner that plugged into the cigarette lighter outlet of cars. With the introduction of these two overwhelmingly successful products, demand outstripped production capabilities and a move to larger quarters was necessary. In 1968, Metro closed the Bronx store and moved into their own 32,000 square foot building in Suffern, New York. In 1970, Metro introduced another first, the Metro Duo-Volt, the worlds first dual voltage (110 VAC - 12VDC) vacuum cleaner designed to work in the home and in the car.

In 1974, Kenneth Stern, the eldest son of Jules, joined Metro adding a third generation of Sterns to the family business. In the mid-70's, the Sterns were made aware of a vacuum cleaner company that was going out of business. The founder had died and the children did not want to continue the family business. This company manufactured a  larger and more powerful vacuum cleaner. The Sterns purchased the tools and dies of this company and this was the birth of the Metro Vac N'Blo and the Air Force Blaster.     From the late 70's through the early 80's, the company did less and less reconditioning and spent more time selling their own brand. In the early 80's, a chance letter from a customer gave the company another change in direction. A lady that raised pygmy goats wrote to tell them how well their leaf blower worked for grooming her goats. This launched Metro into the pet grooming and equestrian industry with a complete line of pet grooming blowers.
	In 1984, David Stern, youngest son of Jules, joined Metro. Under the keen eye of Jules, President, Kenneth, Vice-President of sales, and David, Vice-President of Marketing, Metro has entered many new and different markets.     Metro is now a major factor in the computer/office product industry with the Data-Vac Computer Cleaning System. Reducing downtime, the Data-Vac cleans and maintains computers, printers, laser printers and copiers. The Magic Air Division markets high volume pumps and
Jules Stern, President (left) and David Stern, Vice-President of Marketing (right) with portrait of Israel Stern, founder.
inflator/deflators to the marine, camping and sporting goods industries and the Pet Grooming Dryer Division manufacturers the top pet grooming dryers in the industry.      Metro entered the motorcycle industry in 2002 with the introduction of the Air Force Blaster Motorcycle Dryer. Designed for drying motorcycles and hot-rods, the Air Force Blaster is the hottest and fastest selling product in the company's 64 years of business.     Today Metro employs 50 very dedicated and long time employees. The Air Force Blaster, a new, less expensive dryer called the Commander and the Vac N'Blo share one common tie with the very first vacuums made by Metro in 1957...they are all proudly "Made in America!" Metropolitan Vacuum factory tour.     The day we visited the factory they were making a new dryer for us, the Black Baron Motorcycle & Hot Rod Dryer.      Here's a look at how the product is very proudly, by hand, "Made in America!"
It starts here with pallets of cold rolled US Steel.
Steel is cut into flat sheets.	Blank sheets at the start of the assembly process.
The sheets are stamped to accommodate a switch, line cord and feet.	Steel sheets are hand rolled into cylinders.
Cylinders are welded together and metal brackets for the feet are installed.
Cylinders are taken across town to a paint shop.	They come back with a black, baked enamel finish.
End caps are similarly cut, stamped and painted.	Painted parts, switches, motors, nozzles and other raw materials are stored until need for assembly.
Jeff Hager, General Manager is also a skilled tool and die maker.	Metro maintains a complete machine shop in house to make their own dies.
Workers manually assemble each Black Baron Dryer.	Heavy duty, double ball bearing motors  arrive from a US manufacturer.
The motor, switch and power cable is installed and tested.	Filters are installed and end caps are set on top of each unit.
End caps are hand screwed in place and the entire unit is tested a second time.	The Black Baron is bagged and put into a  shipping carton with the hose and accessories.

Finished Black Baron Dryers ready to ship.	The finished Black Baron Dryer is ready to provide its new owner with years of trouble free service.