OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Company Histories DIMARCO BROTHERS & VICTA- c1956

Hello ODK History Lovers

Sydney's Dimarco Brothers 'Sam and Joe' had one of the earliest authorised Victa dealerships,
selling Victa mowers from their first store at 63-65 Scott Street and then, later, at their two
stores at 121 George Street, Liverpool, and at 86 Broomfield Street, Cabramatta ... so not too far
from the Victa factory.

I guess their dealership was not exceptional except for the fact that one particular full-page
advertisement in the local newspaper from late 1956 included a story on Mervyn Richardson, with
direct quotes attributed to the man himself about the earliest days of Victa.

This set of postings, then, will give background about the Dimarcos in Part A.
I will then discuss, in Part B, one important full-page newsprint advertisement from late 1956.
Here we look at the marketing and selling strategy of the Public Demonstration. The final part,
Part C, will be a link to a sub-article dealing with that important Richardson featurette,
"He Mowed His Road To Clover."



The Biz, 11 November, 1959.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART A - The Dimarco Brothers

Slogan: "Recommended as the BEST place for SERVICE"

The Dimarco Brothers were successful business partners serving the community of
Greater Western Sydney. Joe also had a Fairfield Pharmacy, but both brothers operated
two stores at Liverpool and Cabramatta. Records show that they had extensive community
connections: the local football, baseball and cricket clubs, the Game Shooter's Club
and Game Fishing Club. This community involvement is commendable ... even if the Dimarcos
also happened to own the local ... sports store.

From Crosley and Pope fridges to Kreisler stereograms, Pye and Philips TVs, Pope, Turner,
Wilkins Service, Metters and Westinghouse washers and ranges, fine furnishings, floor
coverings, radios, records, and Remington Rollectric shavers "sporting goods" I think I
forgot lawnmowers. Lawnmowers! The Demarcos captured the early, post-war growth in
consumerism.




The New Store at Broomfield Street, Cabramatta (opposite Cabramatta Railway Station)


The Main Store at George Street, Liverpool

TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART B - The 1956 Full-Page Advertisement

This Part explores a particular full-page advertisement from 28 November, 1956, from the
Dimarco's local newspaper, the Biz. It advertises the Model 2 Rotomo. The article is extra
ordinary in that it combines the early selling practices of some Authorised Victa Dealers and,
most of all, includes what appears to be a featurette article, either written for this ad, or
taken from another publication of the day. It would be nice to know ...

Here is the advertisement layout. I would like to discuss the idea of the public
demonstration in this, Part B. The feature article that runs down the R.H. side, titled
"He Mowed His Road To Clover" will be discussed in Part C.



SELLING ROTARY LAWNMOWERS in the 1950s

It's hard to imagine it now, but selling residential rotary lawnmowers in the mid-1950s
was quite different back then. Following Mervyn Richardson's business model, the
demonstration was the key to success.

By the late 1950s it was common practice for stores to offer home demonstrations. But before
that, some dealers were offering public demonstrations - when the rotary concept was still quite new.

In this particular ad, the Dimarcos advertise a public demonstration on vacant, overgrown
land at Terminus Street, just a short walk from their first store at Scott Street, Liverpool.
The demonstrations ran from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, December 1, 1956.




TO BE CONTINUED ...

PART C - He Mowed His Road To Clover

This final, Part C, deserves special treatment ... because it gives us a glimpse of the
thinking of the man, Mervyn Victor Richardson, the founder of Victa Mowers.

That this insight should appear as a featurette - a small feature article - included in the
Dimarco full-page advertisement and discussed in these topic postings - is of significance
in itself. I wonder whether this piece was written specifically for the Dimarco advertisement?

Here is the outline and placement in the 1956 Dimarco advertisement:-



I have decided that this part should be presented and discussed in the
Personal Histories Forum ... because it relates more to Mervyn Richardson
than it does to the Dimarco Story.

To view the topic, click HERE.

"HE MOWED HIS ROAD TO CLOVER"



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