Anybody Remember MG Mitten?
It appears that the famous maker of car covers, tonneau covers and other must-have sports car goodies is still (somewhat) around. Aardvark International runs a Web site that sells products from such companies as Cibie, FIAMM and others and has the MG Mitten product line as well.If you ordered stringback driving gloves, wood shift knobs or rally calculators in the 60s and 70s, chances are you mailed your order to MG Mitten and anxiously watched for the postman.Check this ad scan from MG Mitten - click on it for a full size image.
THEY USED TO BE THE LAST WORD ON PARTS FOR BRITISH CARS, IN THE SO. CAL AREA. WERE THEY BOUGHT OUT BY MOSS?
ReplyDeleteI worked for MG Mitten until they closed their doors in 1988. Marion Weber (founder and owner) sold the business to 3 investors in 1987. The men filed bankruptsy the following year. A very sad day for all of that day. The company was never picked up by anyone...
ReplyDeleteI worked at MG Mitten from 1974 until 1979 at the front counter answering phones and selling to the walk-in customers. I was involved when the store moved from 36 S. Chester to next door at 44 S. Chester, then I ran the retail store around the corner on Colorado Blvd. Marion was a real treat to work for, I have many memories of my time there and would be happy to share them if anyone is interested. Feel free to reach me at amarquez@us.ibm.com...............Art
ReplyDeletei worked there about 1977?. and i worked with you. it was a great time,i learned a lot.remember when marion bought a speedster and it was a little of a tight fit for her.
DeleteI knew Charlie Weber. He was my hand engraving instructor at GIA in Santa Monica, about 1984, he engraved on the Olympic medals that year. Marion invented/had the first car cover made for his MG.
DeleteI remember MG Mitten around 1963 A college buddy who owned an MGA got me interested in sports cars. He kept an MG Mitten catalog handy at all times. It was a great time for sports cars and today at age 71 I still own one and love sports cars. I purchased many items for my Corvette and later Shelby GT 350 from MG Mitten.
ReplyDeleteI worked for Marion in 1959 until 1960 or 61 at front desk waiting on customers and taking orders. At that time we were on Green St. in Pasadena. I loved working there -- we three gals had such a great time.
ReplyDeleteI too worked there on Green Street. I think the IRS had an office next door? At the time I was driving a 1965 GT350....
Deleterichardschnyder@gmail.com
I was one of your customers on Green St. and in about 1955 Marion sewed a cover for my racing Singer SM 1500 and she was the source for many after market parts including my Bell TX 500 helmet. My brother walked a Porsche Convertible D through the factory for me in 1959 and that sucker cost $2774.00 out the factory door! By the way, I am still racing now in a Thunder Roadster. Ralph Bush
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ReplyDeleteI frequented Mitten quite often in the late 60's, early 70's, always great stuff to be had. My race partner and I also sold some of Marion's goodies on at local SCCA races. Great times, really sad when then closed the doors.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jamie Laffey and I worked there in the late 70s and early 80s. A few name I remember were Davie, Jerry Cook, Mona, Dave McNaught, big Paul, Gregg Anderson, Tom Smith, Rick Cali, Scott Cox and others ....good times....jamieLaffey@SBCGlobal.net
ReplyDeleteI worked there in the mid to late 60's doing order fulfillment and shipping. Fun!!!! I regularly attended local SCCA races, drove a '66 VW Combi van, surfed in north san diego county and enlisted in air force in 1968.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Pasadena native, SCCA driver, and track side supply vendor MV MITTSN was a help to our track side enterprise. Lots of good memories.
ReplyDeletePardon my typo MG MITTEN
ReplyDeleteIt's a treat to learn a little something about Marion and MG Mitten. I have a crumbling and incomplete collection of Road & Track magazines from the '50s to late '60s, and she is a smiling and pleasant presence in them with "Marion's Meanderings" in the "Mittens" ads.
ReplyDeleteIn 1970, I lived a few blocks from MG Mitten on Colorado Blvd. I was a student at CSULA, driving a Hillman Husky…We became acquainted with Marian through my wife who did her hair… I remember going to Willow Springs once with them. Marian had rented her Alfa Spider for filming in the movie “The Graduate”…She bought Borrani wire wheels with the money she was paid.. some time later she asked me if I wanted to buy the Alfa, but as a student I had no means to do that…. That is the one I missed..!! Wonder what happened to it..?
ReplyDeleteI still have several catalogs ..!
As a previous contributor noted, Marion essentially created the aftermarket industry for sports car accessories. Others soon jumped on the bandwagon, such as Accessories Unlimited on Sepulveda in Van Nuys (my old hangout), Vilem B. Haan on Santa Monica Blvd., and the Rally Center up in Portland. I bought a Triumph Tunic, a Fiat Frock, floor mats, and a luggage rack from her. Her ads with Dave Deal's wonderful artwork in R&T are memorable. So many oddball items back in the day. Does anyone else remember those little wands that MGA owners could attach to the front bumper to protect the vulnerable grille? It was wired to the MG's horn to warn if a large American car was backing into a space in front of it.
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DeleteWorked for Marion in '79 after leaving Haan at 10305 Santa Monica Blvd. Larry Guran was the 'concierge' at Haan with Lance Stewart acting as assistant sales manager. Just before leaving Haan, I relocated to their 'Coldwater Canyon' warehouse with Rick Messmore at the helm. Messmore was responsible, if not wholly then certainly 'significantly' for Haan's inevitable demise when he decided to invest a huge sum in.......(wait for it)... 'Vitaloni' mirrors and "Maserati Air Horns. Made in Italy for Vilem B. Haan"
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