Magic Chef

In the 1850s John Ringen, a German immigrant to the United States, began a tinshop in St. Louis, Missouri. His business prospered and, in 1870, he took in a partner, George August Kahle, who had immigrated to America from Germany in 1867. The business sold housewares, early washing machines, and cooking stoves they called "quick meals".

In 1881, George Kahle persuaded his brothers-in-law, Charles and Louis Stockstrom, to set up a shop to manufacture stoves.{{Cite web|last=Schmoll|first=Nicole|title=How to Identify Magic Chef Stoves|url=https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-identify-magic-chef-stoves/|access-date=2021-02-24|website=LEAFtv|language=en}} These four principals then organized two corporations, the Quick Meal Stove Company and the Ringen Stove Company.

Quick Meal manufactured the stoves, with Ringen Stove handling sales and distribution of the entire output of Quick Meal's production. The phenomenal growth of these two companies during the 1880s and 1890s led to the merger of eight other stove companies in St. Louis, Chicago and Cleveland in 1901 to form the American Stove Company. American Stove introduced the first oven temperature control device in 1914.

In 1929, it began using the brand name Magic Chef. The Magic Chef name was so successful as an oven and stove brand that American Stove Company changed its name to Magic Chef, Inc. in 1951.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/131908649 |title=American Stove Plans Name Change |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=October 18, 1951 |page=13 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|131908649}}}}{{cite news |title=To Vote on Name Change |newspaper=New York Times |date=October 18, 1951 |page=45 |author= |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9906E6D91738E43BBC4052DFB667838A649EDE |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|111965736}}}}{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/563307946 |title=Progress On Stove Combine: Capitalization Of Between $40,000,000 And $50,000,000 American Stove Co. Incorporated In New Jersey Charles B. Warren Doesn't Know Much About It Says His Plans Have Made Considerable Progress: Other Detroit Concerns Soon to Increase Their Capital Stock |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=December 22, 1901 |page=A8 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|563307946}}}} The company remained well known for its gas stoves, but attempts to spread the brand to other household appliances were unsuccessful.

In 1957, it was merged with the Food Giant Markets of California.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/132357931 |title=Magic Chef Confirms Plan to Merge With Food Giant Markets: Action Depends on Internal Revenue Ruling and Approval by Magic Chef Stockholders |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=May 22, 1957 |page=7 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|132357931}}}}{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167143755 |title=Magic Chef-Food Giant Plan Merger |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 21, 1957 |page=C9 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167143755}}}} In 1958, it was sold to Dixie Products,{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/132416410 |title=Food Giant Markets Sells Its Magic Chef Division |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=September 19, 1958 |page=9 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|132416410}}}}{{cite news |title=Magic Chef: Unit of Food Giant Markets Is Sold to Dixie Products |newspaper=New York Times |date=September 19, 1958 |page=45 |author= |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9804E1D71430E73BBC4152DFBF668383649EDE |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|114544507}}}} a small stove company of Cleveland, Tennessee, after selling off a few underperforming divisions of Magic Chef.{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/167218162 |title=Food Giant '58 Plans Told |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 27, 1958 |page=C9 |author= |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|167218162}}}}

In 1974, Magic Chef bought the Norge Village Laundry & Dry Cleaners chain.{{cite web|url=https://www.roadarch.com/signs/norge.html|title=Norge Village Laundry & Dry Cleaning Signs (page 1)|publisher=roadarch.com|access-date=May 13, 2024}}

By 1986, the company had become the 249th largest industrial company in the nation, and was sold to Maytag for $740 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/25/business/maytag-to-acquire-magic-chef-for-740-million.html |title=Maytag to Acquire Magic Chef for $740 Million |newspaper=New York Times |date=March 25, 1986 |first=Daniel F. |last=Cuff}} Magic Chef also made home furnaces and air conditioners; that operation was sold to Lennox International in 1988.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/22/business/briefs-056088.html |title=Briefs |newspaper=New York Times |date=November 22, 1988 |author=}}

Whirlpool Corporation acquired Maytag Corporation in 2006.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna12097032 |title=Whirlpool completes acquisition of Maytag: Appliance maker to immediately start |website=NBC News |date=March 31, 2006 |author=}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jul-19-fi-whirlpool19-story.html |title=Whirlpool's Chief Touts Maytag Offer: The CEO says his company's bid of more than $1.3 billion is the 'best opportunity.' |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=July 19, 2005 |author=}} Magic Chef has been spun out to CNA International Inc./MC Appliance Corporation,{{Cite web|url=https://mcappliance.com/magic-chef|title=Magic Chef|website=MC Appliance}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=6562874|title=Company Overview of Cna International, Inc|website=Bloomberg}} which imports and markets small appliances under several brand names.

• Dortch Stove Works: A historic Magic Chef factory in Franklin, Tennessee

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• [http://www.mcappliance.com/magicchef.aspx MC Appliance Corporation]
• [http://www.astorialic.org/topics/industry/lirr/volume7/volume7.shtm American Stove Company/Magic Chef in New York-mid 20th century]
• [http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/Stockstrom-House.cfm Charles Stockstrom's mansion a St. Louis city landmark]

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Category:Home appliance brands

Category:Maytag brands

Category:Companies based in St. Louis

Category:American companies established in 1901

Category:Electronics companies established in 1901

Category:Products introduced in 1929

Category:1881 establishments in Missouri

Category:1901 establishments in Missouri

Category:1929 establishments in Missouri

Category:American brands

Category:1986 mergers and acquisitions