ST. LOUIS – In 1908, Robert and Harry Wagner founded the moving and storage company, Wagner Brothers Moving & Storage, to relocate customers by horse and wagon. This month, the company, now known as Fry-Wagner Moving & Storage, is celebrating its 100th anniversary and its many accomplishments as a full-service relocation company over the past century.
Father and son team Mandel and Isadore Fry purchased Wagner Brothers Moving & Storage from Robert and Harry Wagner in 1916. The Fry family continued to operate the moving company as Wagner Brother’s Moving & Storage and officially changed the name to Fry-Wagner Moving & Storage in 1970.
As business grew over the years, Fry-Wagner became one of the largest movers in St. Louis. The company expanded its business into Kansas City, Mo., in 1981; Columbia, Mo., in 1990; Springfield, Mo., in 1993; and Belleville, Ill., in 2007. Today, Fry-Wagner is one of the largest United Van Lines agents, dispatching more than 500 trucks and trailers across the country each day. The company, led by current president and COO Larry Fry, specializes in local residential moving services, household moves, international relocation, packing services, commercial moves, record and secure storage, corporate relocation and special product business lines.
The Fry family attributes the relocation company’s success to its business philosophy. “Fry-Wagner has always had a policy of reinvesting its profits back into the business to secure the best people, equipment and facilities to provide customers with the best service possible,” said Milton Fry, chairman of the board for Fry-Wagner. “We look forward to seeing what the next one hundred years will hold.”
Larry Fry is the fourth-generation Fry family member to operate the company. Mandel Fry was the first generation in the Fry family to operate the company, followed by his son, Isadore Fry. Isadore’s son, Milton, current chairman of the board, was the third generation to operate the company, beginning in 1958.
About United Van Lines
United Van Lines, with headquarters in suburban St. Louis, maintains a network of 1,000 affiliated agencies throughout the world. As the nation’s largest mover, United holds more than 30 percent of the market, which is nearly double the market share of the second largest carrier. More information about United and its services can be obtained through the company’s Web site at www.unitedvanlines.com.
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