FOUNDING OF THE COMPANY
Yup, we’re still cool…even after 75 years! In 1945, our founder, great-grandpa Edward, had a vision that wholesale refrigeration would benefit society and create jobs for our WWII veterans. Midwest Refrigeration Supply was launched in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
GRANDPA JIM TAKES OVER
By the 1960s, Edward's son, James ('Grandpa'), had taken the helm and began to expand Midwest Supply's footprint. Eventually, Grandpa had a desire to move the business to beautiful Northern Michigan to pursue his passion for fishing and hunting.
NEW BUILDING
In those Northern Michigan olden days, you had to travel uphill in the snow both ways of course and we were doing just that by exclusively selling refrigeration. In 1972, Grandpa Jim celebrated the opening of a brand new building, where Midwest Supply still operates our Traverse City location.
LEADER IN HVAC/R
Since card playing during the winter was getting old, John Edward “Dad” decided to shake things up. In 1990, he began establishing vendor relationships in the HVAC trade. This decision was visionary and is the main reason we are still one of the longest family-run HVAC/R wholesalers in Michigan.
MORE TERRITORY
Towards the end of the 1990s, Midwest expanded our territory once again, adding branches in St. Ignace and Escanaba, Michigan.
TODAY AND TOMORROW
I am John Charles, Midwest’s 4th generation owner. During my tenure I have prepared Midwest for the 21st century by matching my passion for technology and our generations of expertise. I invite you to share a hunting or fishing story with us and see why our contractors still love to buy from us after 4 generations. Come see what makes us cool after all these years. - John Semeyn, Jr