As one of the nation’s premier work truck manufacturers, Curry Supply has set the pace for rapid expansion throughout one of the market’s most tumultuous periods, as the pandemic wreaked havoc on supply chains and day to day operations of manufacturing operations across the globe. Curry’s success and concurrent growth has come through the adoption of leading-edge technology, growing partner relationships, industry leading service and establishment of physical locations throughout the United States. With their rapid expansion, Curry Supply needed to find a headquarter location that represented their commitment to market innovation and rapid company growth. Through that need, the Curry Innovation Center came to fruition, located in the also growing area of downtown Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Previously known as the Brett Building in 1919, the location was initially owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad and holds a significant amount of history. Sears, Roebuck, and Company occupied the three-story side of the building in 1929. Sometime after. J.C. Penney opened on the two-story side of the building. The building was owned and occupied by Vipond Appliances in recent years until Curry Supply purchased it in 2018, later naming it the Curry Innovation Center. Most of the original building structure still stands after the renovation, with the addition of an elevator shaft for ADA compliance and a connection between the two-story and three-story sides. Construction took over a year and a half, which was longer than expected due to the unforeseen circumstances of the pandemic.

Much like the building, Curry Supply believes in the importance of antiquity and preservation of history. The renovation project’s design and construction followed the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation guidelines. The project team coordinated with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the National Parks Service or Department of Interior. Curry Supply began as a small general store in 1932 and has evolved into an over five hundred employee operation spanning across fifteen states.

Keep an eye out for our next blog in the series, talking about our strategic partnerships that led to the creation of the Curry Innovation Center and how these partnerships interconnect with the growth and future vision of the company.