SIX GENERATIONS OF SCHMIDTS By Keith Loria A.E. Schmidt, which crafts beautiful pool tables and game room furniture in St. Louis, Missouri, has been family owned and operated since 1850, maintaining a remarkable allegiance to the original ideas of its founder, Ernst Schmidt. “We have always maintained that quality pool tables should be the focus of our business, that we should be the ‘go-to company’ when no one else can help,” says Kurt Schmidt, who co-owns the company with his wife, Karen. “A pool table hasn’t changed that much in 100 years; in fact we still build one model that came out in 1924. We are all for the family-run mom and pop billiard dealers. They are the backbone 28 | BCA INSIDER • NEW YEAR ISSUE 2019
of this industry year in, year out. They need to be protected and helped in every way possible. Kurt and Karen Schmidt get help running the company from their three children – the sixth generation of the family to work in the billiard industry. Michael oversees the factory and makes sure production goes smoothly, Stephanie strives at selling and handles most of the wholesale operations, and Rachel is passionate about designing tables and the behind-the-scenes analytical work. “All five of us feel a very strong desire to keep the business in the family,” Stephanie says. “In a company as old as ours, we feel very proud of the accom-
plishments of the earlier generations and how they were able to overcome different situations of their time to keep the business going.” A.E. Schmidt’s dealers know that about the company, and understand the family will do everything in their power to help them be successful. “All of the family currently involved feel that they are caretakers of an institution built on the backs of the previous generation,” Kurt says. “While all of us have ideas and desires on how the business is to be run, there is a strong devotion from all to respect the trust that has been earned over the years, and to maintain the mutual loyalty to our