125 Years
Honoring The Past, Engineering The Future
We are celebrating not only the founding of C. Cretors and Company this year, but we are also highlighting the inception of the concession industry. Throughout the year, Cretors will be hosting various events for employees, vendors, customers, and various concession related businesses to help us celebrate. In May, we will be holding our biennial Cretors Conference, but this year, our customers will experience a meeting unlike any other! The black-tie event will be held at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago; opening with a reception and followed by a formal dinner with select guest speakers. A silent auction will be held throughout the evening as well to help raise proceeds for Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (www.capeweb.org). Sponsors include Coke, W.W. Grainger, and Fed Ex.
Our history begins 125 years ago, when a man – Charles Cretors – living in a rented apartment in the 1880’s, (soon after the Chicago fire), had an idea to build a machine that would pop popcorn in oil. Up until then the street vendors were popping corn in a basket over an open fire. They had to season it afterwards with salt. Charles Cretors’ idea was to automate the process by building a steam-driven machine that would automatically pop and season the corn at the same time. Putting his thoughts into action, he designed and built a machine and took it to the boardwalk at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. The new snackfood became a hit! With that one man and that one idea, the entire Concession Industry began. The steam-driven popcorn cart allowed vendors to move to where the crowds were gathering, in front of the theatre, to the ballpark, the fairgrounds, etc. Cretors wagons were built to roast peanuts, pop popcorn, hold drinks and more.
Today the Concession Industry is more than a 30 billion dollar industry in the US alone. It is incredible to think of how many lives that one man and that one idea has touched! What a perfect example of American Entrepreneurship!
Please check back for more details as we approach this wonderful celebration!
We are proud of our Chicago Heritage, and would like to make our anniversary celebration a benefit that gives back to the youth and future of our great city. To that end, C. Cretors & Company has chosen Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (www.capeweb.org) as our designated charity for our 125th Anniversary Celebration. All donations received throughout the year will help us raise money to put arts programs back into the public school system. A creative arts education for all students is a key to the survival and future growth of the arts and entertainment industry.
Founded in 1992, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) has become recognized as a leader in the field of school improvement through the arts. CAPE currently works with 130 Chicago Public Schools to infuse arts throughout the curriculum by creating partnerships between professional teaching artists and teachers serving at-risk students in disadvantaged communities. CAPE is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All sponsorships will be tax deductable to the extent allowed by law.