Whitlock’s Vacuum and Sewing Center

455 Court Street, NE

Salem, Oregon 97301

Phone: (503) 585-7771

Whitlock’s Website: www.whitlocks.com

Whitlock’s owners say putting customers first has helped them.

In 1952, two vacuum cleaner repairmen gathered the gumption to open their own store with seven vacuums and $750. The two 20-something entrepreneurs, Coy D. Whitlock and Lake Westphal, rented a space at 455 Court St. NE in Salem and called their shop Vacuum Clinic. Fifty-two years later, it’s still there.

On the ground floor of the Meyers Building and the D’Arcy Building, Whitlock Vacuum and Sewing Center resides.

In 1952, Coy D. Whitlock and Lake Westphal opened what used to be called The Vacuum Cleaner Clinic. They thrived in their business until 1984. At this point, Dennis Whitlock, Coy’s son, took over the business until 2000.

Todd and Lyn McPherson worked for Dennis Whitlock 13 years. They then bought the business. They are running it today. As Todd says, “Everything is the same.”

In 52 years, the business has only changed ownership twice.

Whitlock’s sells both industrial and personal vacuums. Some of their customers are the State of Oregon, churches, restaurants, Marion County, and the City of Salem.

Half of their store is populated with vacuum cleaners while the other half is full of sewing machines. “It’s still the customer service that keeps the store in business.” Todd McPherson says.

Whitlock’s Shop Manager is well-known for his expertise. It is not uncommon for him to receive work from other parts of the globe. For instance, he will receive a package from Europe containing a vacuum to be fixed. He is that well-known. Jack Levan is his name, and he has been with Whitlock’s for many years.

Todd McPherson explained what was most important concerning the buying of a vacuum cleaner. He replied, “Service. Look for service-oriented products. Look beyond low prices and make sure your machine is serviceable.”

I asked if there was much of a market for sewing machines. Todd told me that, “It changed in the late 70s and early 80s from all garment sewing to quilting. It took until the mid-80s for the sewing machine sales to catch up to vacuum cleaners. Now sewing machines account for two-thirds of the stores sales.”

Whitlock’s showroom is located at 455 Court St. NE. The sewing machine side is located in the D’Arcy Building, and the vacuum side is located in the Meyers Building. There is a partial wall between them. It’s a nice place to visit, offering such products as Viking sewing machines and the Eureka line of vacuum cleaners – – to name two of the many brands around today.

Written by William B. Glennen

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Bibliography:

An Interview with Todd McPherson, January 21, 2003

National Register of Historic Places, Section 7, pg. 39

Statesman Journal newspaper, Business section, March 18, 2002

This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.