Ray's Sewing Machine Center has been serving the sewing needs of customers for over 67 years, since 1947.

 

In the 1940's Ray was a machinist, learning his trade two years before World War II and using it on board ship in the Navy. When he and his wife Deon moved to Santa Clara, he resumed his job as a machinist. An entrepreneur at heart, Ray then produced a job for himself painting corn catches on ice machines and sewing machines.

 

Next, he began buying old sewing machines which he eventually rented for $1.00 a week. Business was so good that Ray went into the sewing machine business full-time.

 

By March of 1947, the business grew so large they rented a building on Park Avenue for $150 a month, selling Pfaffs, Berninas and renting industrial machines to the Japanese farmers to make covers for their greenhouses.

 

Deon, Ray's wife, was a college graduate majoring in home economics. Her role in the business was bookkeeping, classes, covering buttons and belt buckles. But her favorite job besides being a wife and mother was making button-holes. This she did for over 30 years.

In the late 40's Ray and Deon had a daughter, and in the mid-50's a son whom they named Ken.

 

Ken started working in the business at the age of four, and his abilities grew quickly. He eventually went to Steckborn Switzerland to learn sales and service on Bernina sewing machines and later taught at the Bernina University.