Waco Tribune-Herald history

The firm would grow and occupy varying locations throughout its early years but finally found a permanent home in the Amicable Life Building in 1911, becoming the first tenant to occupy space in the building, beating even Amicable Life in having an office in the building.

Photographer: Gildersleeve in 1912, Courtesy of Alico Photo Gallery.)

Jack married Reba Belle Mickelborough on June 15th, 1921, with whom he had two sons, David Kultgen and John H. Kultgen.

Waco News Tribune 5 May 1924

In 1927, brothers Earl and J. Clair Davis bought a printing press and formed what would eventually become Davis Brothers Publishing Company.

In addition to these modern innovations, the ALICO building stood as the tallest building west of the Mississippi River and south of the Mason-Dixon line until 1929.

Eventually in 1933 Melvin Lipsitz, Louis’s son, joined his father and they relocated their business to the corner of Franklin and First Street in downtown Waco.

“Bert Lipsitz and Daughter Return Home.” The Waco News Tribune [Waco] January 06, 1935: Page 14.

Clint Padgitt would immediately expand his fathers business by adding luggage, sporting goods and other toys for sale, and by 1937 the majority of business would be from his wholesale and retail trade in these items though the company still offered leather goods and saddlery.

In 1945 Clint Padgitt would pass away at the age of 61.

Willie Stephen Foster (known as W.S. or Bill Sr.) opened up the Waco Citizen in 1946 at 319 Franklin Avenue, Waco.

In 1947, they relocated to 13th Street and Franklin Avenue, which then was on the business outskirts of town.

Virginia on the day of her wedding to Leslie DuPuy: November 11, 1951.

Waco Tribune Herald 5 July 1953 pg 41.

Established in 1954 by Leslie DuPuy at 212 S 17th St, in downtown Waco, DuPuy Oxygen & Supply provides welding supplies and industrial and medical gases to industries in Waco and the greater Central Texas area.

Lipstiz Named Panel Vice Chairman” The Waco News Tribune [Waco] March 30, 1958 Published: Page 22

The industry at this point in 1959 was worth almost $2 billion dollars.

Willie was known for the same thing. in the 1960’s a young boy recounted how Willie Nix allowed him to purchase a bike with installments because the young boy did not have enough money to make the complete purchase.

“Scrap Iron and Steel Group Elects Lipsitz” Waco Tribune Herald [Waco] July 02, 1961 : Page 12.

If all that responsibility wasn’t enough for one man, Kultgen was also the first member and chairman of the Waco Chamber of Commerce Highway Committee, as well as the member of The Texas Highway Commission since 1963 and later served as president of Texas Good Highway Association.

Eventually, in 1969, Melvin Lipsitz Sr died.

With customer satisfaction as the number one priority, the business prospered greatly, and DuPuy Oxygen & Supply was able to expand to three separate distribution centers in Central Texas by the 1970’s.

The company first broke ground for the new plant in 1973 and was destined to become the largest candy making facility in the worldwide Mars organization.

“Recycling Scrap Metal And Trash Resources” Waco Tribune Herald [Waco] April 02, 1974 : Page 34.

Then, in 1976, she became a coordinator for various exhibits held at The Art Center, her first project being a showing of “An Art Affair” by popular local artists.

Darden, Bob, “Waco Was Top Site for Candy Corporation Expansion.” Waco Tribune-Herald, July 23, 1980.

Waco Mars expanded their plant to add a Starburst wrapping room because in 1981, the Waco plant was the only producer of Starburst Fruit Chews, which was the number one non-chocolate candy in the country.

In 1982, the M. Lipsitz company revamped their recycling initiative and proposed another idea to help clean up Waco.

Lanning Jr would also help Baylor Texas Collection and Waco Heritage and History collect rare historical photos from Central Texans in 1984.

“M&M/MARS Expansion – A Vote of Confidence for Waco,” Waco Tribune-Herald, April 26, 1987.

The program went on to be so successful that in 1988 Melvin Lipsitz Jr and Anheuser Busch received the Independent Eagle Award in recognition of their efforts.

Unfortunately, Camelia died on May 5, 1990 due to a major heart attack while taking care of Bill Jr.’s sick brother Brady, which was doubly unexpected due to her only being 55 years old at the time.

Copeland, Mike, “Prestigious award a sweet success for M&M Mars plant,” and “MARS Facility takes prestigious honor,” Waco Tribute-Herald, November 20, 1994.

In 2005 Wilton Lanning would sell Tom Padgitts and it still operates today on 5054 Franklin Avenue.

Holze sales continues increasing after its competitor, Brooks Mays Music went out of business and closed all 26 of its stores in 2006, leaving Holze as the main, trusted music store.

Virginia DuPuy from 2008 during her time as mayor of Waco.

Lastly, the Kultgen family received the Heritage Award from Baylor University’s Institute for Family Business in 2011.

(Billy Joe Southwell recalls his experience working at the M&M Mars plant in Waco. ~ Source Southwell, Billy Joe, Interviewed by Robert Gamboa, April 28, 2014 in Waco, TX. Baylor University Institute for Oral History, Waco, TX.)

By the time it was acquired by a larger media company in 2016, Davis Brothers Publishing Company had been a part of the community for almost ninety years.