The ghost of the Garvin Machine Company, Spring and Varick Streets, is seen on the Spring Street side in this view from near Hudson in July 2013. Garvin Machine has been out of business for about 90 years.
The company was founded in NYC by Hugh Garvin in the 1880s and his son, Eugene E. Garvin, continued it as the E.E. Garvin Machine Company after Hugh’s death. The shop was located first on Centre and then Laight Streets, but moved to Varick and Spring by 1897 after a fire at Laight, and remained there till the company’s dissolution in 1925.
What kind of machines did Garvin produce? An 1892 ad lists “universal and plain milling machines, drill presses, screw machines, hand and engine lathes, planers, shapers, profilers, gear cutters, turret lathes, die and cutter grinders, wire spring coilers, screw slotters, milling cutters, etc.” The shop billed itself as “manufacturers of sewing machines and electrical goods.”
These days, SoHo primarily produces lattes.
Information from who else … Walter Grutchfield.
7/31/13
3 comments
I understand that at one time there were something like 10000 factories in New York City. We really need to bring back our factories. I wonder how many things manufactured by the Garvin company may still be around somewhere.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/the_woman_who_remade_downtown_U0Ay28YY6BdAnPBIoXX9WL
If you like the downtown landscape, click this link to read about who to thank (may she RIP).
I have a lathe made by this company. I am trying to assess the year it was made and find someone interested in having it. It needs a new leather belt made for it in order for it to be usable, but my husband researched that a few years ago and did find someone who could do it. Please comment here if anyone has a lead on someone who might want it, and we can get in touch..