Happy 85th Birthday Irv Cohen!!!

Today may or may not be my old friend Irv (Irving) Cohen's 85th birthday. I can't remember the exact date but I am pretty sure that it closely follows Mothers Day. If not, have a "Happy Birthday" whenever it rolls around, Irv.

I have known Irv for more than 35 years or more than half my life. I am not as old as Irv, just in case your math skills are bad. But I digress.

Irv is the founder and former proprietor of Allstate Restaurant Equipment in Greensboro. He was the stainless steel king of Greensboro. If it was restaurant equipment, he had it. He sold new equipment, he sold used equipment, and given the nature of the restaurant business, he sold some of those same pieces of equipment several times.

I really enjoyed doing business with Irv. He and his staff handled a complete kitchen replacement, it was more than a renovation, for us at Tex & Shirley's in 1992. Everything went great and on schedule.

Most small businesses and a few larger businesses take on the personality and values of the owner or manager.  That was the case at Allstate. His staff carried his values and dealt with customers as Irv would, whether or not he was there. I never experienced a problem at Allstate that was not promptly resolved. I was usually at Allstate once a week and I loved going there.

Irv does have a huge weakness, he's a Democrat. Irv and I would take good natured political jabs at each other, but we were always friends. In 2010, I saw him one day and told him, "I will gladly pay some kid to wash that Obama sticker off your car!". We both laughed. I am sure that when he traded that car in, it still had the sticker on it.

Since I retired, I haven't run into Irv in three or four years. I hope that your birthday is a great day, Irv!!

Thanks for everything over the years.
Gilbert