Location: Owner: Wife: Credentials: Age: Family: Hobbies:

Closed and Retired After 44 Years ! Ed (Bud) Erich Nancy,(Deceased March 2000) CSM 74 Karen (RN), Dennis, Janet (RN) Model of Battleship, USS Missouri Reading Tutor At Edison Elementary School The Grandchildren

ERICH RADIO & SOUND. That’s what you would have heard if you had been in the Wade Park area of Cleveland in 1930. That’s when Ed Erich’s Dad opened his business on the corner of Addison & Wade Park. He sold Radios in the “Golden Era” of radio for the citizens to listen to Jack Benny, Amos & Andy, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and other celebrities of the time.

Occasionally, these radios would break, and these same people would call Ed’s Dad to come repair them. Dad had 3 helpers making service calls and Ed says that a house call was about $1.50 back then. They also rented out their “Sound Trucks” to people & organizations. Yep, Just like you see in the Elliott Ness movies : Panel trucks with large loudspeakers on top, driving down the street urging you to “Vote For Sweeney”, or “Buy Moxie”. Ed’s Dad had to maintain the equipment in those trucks as well.

Ed worked in the store while he was growing up, as did his brothers Earl, Bob & Ronnie. Ed says that he would sell records, write work orders, or do whatever he was told to do by ‘Ed Senior”. Both the Erich’s took the course from the National Radio Institute but Ed credits his dad as being the Sharper one. As the business grew, they moved to 9207 Hough in the mid 30’s to accommodate the Record listening booths, and Sales floor, as well as the Repair Shop. During the War, Ed entered the Navy working on Radar & Radio equipment. He served on the USS Missouri, and also some Destroyers in the Pacific and says that whatever you’ve heard about how badly DE’s roll & pitch is All True!

After Korea, Ed returned to the store – New address at 8514 Hough – and New product : Television, added to the Name. The Company sold New Philco, Capehart, and Farnsworth Televisions during the 50’s and performed the Warranty service for those brands. He says that the Manufacturers would pay your Normal” rate for repairs in those days, and there was plenty of work.

Ed performed House Calls for the entire time that he was in business, leaving the shop work to others. The Hough Ave location was where you’d find them until the mid 1960’s.

Erich Radio & sound opened a Second location in 1965 on Richmond Road in Richmond Heights with 7 people working in that eastern suburb of Cleveland. Good thing they did, because if you think of “Cleveland” and “1966” together, you’ll remember the Race Riots of that year. Ed was a victim of that violence. When the Riots broke out, the entire block where they were located was looted & burned – in that order.

Ed says that when he was allowed back in to take a look, the entire store was cleaned out to what remained of the walls. Not a TV or radio in sight. Witnesses said that it was like a parade of people carrying TV’s out while the city burned. “Insurance” cleverly exempts Riots from coverage, so That location never reopened, but they continued working out of the Richmond Rd. location until Ed retired in 1992. From what Ed says, it was probably time to move – His truck had been broken into while on a service call, and the neighborhood was changing - not for the better.

Ed has been a supporter of NESDA for a Very long time, serving as Local President for 11 years, State President for 2, Secretary for 5 years, and has been the State organization’s Executive Director for 10 years.. He says that the only current members that he DIDN’T sign up are Norm Van Stempa, and Bob Masa. He worked tirelessly with the Home Recording Rights Coalition during the recent attempt by the movie companies to restrict your recording rights, and met with congressman to push for legislation that protect us. This is a man who is retired, and doesn’t HAVE to contribute his time, but he does anyway for the good of our profession.

We nearly Lost Ed, recently when he was seriously ill, but he has made a remarkable recovery, and is able to get around again. We are Proud to have Ed Erich as part of Nesda.