Paul Secon
Encyclopedia
Paul Secon was an American
entrepreneur
song-writer who co-founded Pottery Barn
with his brother, Morris, in 1950.
Born in Philadelphia, Secon was the son of Russian immigrants. He was musically gifted, and played the trumpet
, piano
, oboe
, and flute
. Secon was the music critic for The Boston Evening Transcript
. In 1950, he was a music editor for Billboard,Variety and creative songwriter having written for Nat King Cole
, The Mills Brothers and many more whilst living in New York City
when he heard about a business opportunity from Morris. Morris' wife had recently purchased stoneware
at a yard sale
in their hometown of Rochester, New York
. Morris took a liking to the pieces, which were designed by Glidden Parker at his factory in Alfred, New York
. Parker informed him that he had three barn
s full of discontinued or slightly damaged products for sale. The brothers decided to buy the pieces for US$
2,500, and, with the help of their father, rented a store on 10th Avenue
in New York City to sell their wares, thus giving birth to Pottery Barn.
A year later, an article in The New Yorker
praised the store, and customers flocked to it in droves. Paul remained store manager, while Morris, who was also musically inclined, became principal horn
ist for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
and teacher at the Eastman School of Music
. In 1959 Paul started taking long trips to Europe in search of new product lines, and asked Morris to help manage the store. In 1966, Paul sold the company to Morris and moved to Denmark
, where he pursued his earlier career of music and writing, and where his son, Lucas Secon
, best known for his 1994 hit song Lucas With the Lid Off, was born. In 1980, Paul moved back to the United States and settled in Manhattan before relocating to Rochester in 1997, where he died at his home at the age of 90.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
song-writer who co-founded Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn is an American-based home furnishing store chain with retail stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Since September 1986, when it was purchased from GAP, Inc, Pottery Barn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, Inc....
with his brother, Morris, in 1950.
Born in Philadelphia, Secon was the son of Russian immigrants. He was musically gifted, and played the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. Secon was the music critic for The Boston Evening Transcript
Boston Evening Transcript
The Boston Evening Transcript was a daily afternoon newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, published from July 24, 1830, to April 30, 1941.-Beginnings:...
. In 1950, he was a music editor for Billboard,Variety and creative songwriter having written for Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, The Mills Brothers and many more whilst living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when he heard about a business opportunity from Morris. Morris' wife had recently purchased stoneware
Stoneware
Stoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware with a fine texture. Stoneware is made from clay that is then fired in a kiln, whether by an artisan to make homeware, or in an industrial kiln for mass-produced or specialty products...
at a yard sale
Garage sale
A garage sale, also known as a yard sale, rummage sale, tag sale, lawn sale, attic sale, moving sale, or junk sale, is an informal, irregularly scheduled event for the sale of used goods by private individuals, in which "block sales" are allowed, so that sellers are not required to obtain business...
in their hometown of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Morris took a liking to the pieces, which were designed by Glidden Parker at his factory in Alfred, New York
Alfred (village), New York
Alfred is a village located in the Town of Alfred in Allegany County, New York, USA. The population was 3,954 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Alfred the Great....
. Parker informed him that he had three barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
s full of discontinued or slightly damaged products for sale. The brothers decided to buy the pieces for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,500, and, with the help of their father, rented a store on 10th Avenue
Tenth Avenue (Manhattan)
Tenth Avenue, known as Amsterdam Avenue north of 59th Street, is a north-south thoroughfare on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. It carries uptown traffic as far as West 110th Street, also known as Cathedral Parkway for the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine...
in New York City to sell their wares, thus giving birth to Pottery Barn.
A year later, an article in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
praised the store, and customers flocked to it in droves. Paul remained store manager, while Morris, who was also musically inclined, became principal horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
ist for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the city of Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Its primary concert venue is the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music....
and teacher at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
. In 1959 Paul started taking long trips to Europe in search of new product lines, and asked Morris to help manage the store. In 1966, Paul sold the company to Morris and moved to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where he pursued his earlier career of music and writing, and where his son, Lucas Secon
Lucas Secon
Lucas Secon, also known by the stage name Lucas, is a world-renowned Danish-American Grammy , MTV Award and Emmy Award-nominated record producer, songwriter,Golden Poets Award winner, DJ, rapper, singer and artist/conceptualist. He lives in London, United Kingdom.Secon has contributed to seven...
, best known for his 1994 hit song Lucas With the Lid Off, was born. In 1980, Paul moved back to the United States and settled in Manhattan before relocating to Rochester in 1997, where he died at his home at the age of 90.