ABC Warehouse
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (appliances and electronics) |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Gordon Hartunian |
| Headquarters | Pontiac, Michigan , United States |
Area served | Michigan, Ohio, Indiana |
Key people | Gordon Hartunian (founder) |
| Products | Appliances, electronics, mattresses, furniture |
ABC Warehouse, Inc., also known as ABC Appliance, Inc., is a retail chain specializing in appliances and electronics, headquartered in Pontiac, Michigan. Established in 1963 by Gordon Hartunian, the company currently manages 42 locations across Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Additionally, it operates 16 Mickey Shorr Mobile Electronics outlets and 2 Hawthorne Home Appliances & Electronics stores. The brand is recognized for its slogan "The Closest Thing To Wholesale." Recently, ABC Warehouse has expanded its product range to include mattresses and furniture, featuring brands such as Sealy and Lane.
History
The inaugural ABC Warehouse store was launched by Gordon Hartunian in a repurposed warehouse situated in Center Line, Michigan. By 1980, the business had grown to include a second store in Pontiac and a third location in Flint. Prior to founding ABC Warehouse, Hartunian worked for Hot & Cold, an appliance retailer that eventually shuttered all Detroit-area outlets.
In 2007, ABC Warehouse was among thirty consumer electronics retailers chosen to participate in an IBM initiative that monitored consumer application trends using data from the NTIA. Two years later, in 2009, the company entered into a financial agreement with General Electric to offer an ABC-branded credit card for in-house financing.
Advertising
During the 1980s, ABC Warehouse incorporated the character Ernest P. Worrell into its television marketing campaigns. In-store, children were given paper masks depicting Ernest.
In the 1990s, ABC's advertisements showcased "The ABC Warehouse Employees Choir," who performed original songs such as "Price Protection," set to the melody of Alouette.
From the late 1990s through the late 2000s, the company highlighted its founder, Gordon "Gordy" Hartunian, in a series of lighthearted commercials known as "Gordyisms."