Univox was a musical instrument brand of Unicord from the early 1960s, when they purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York , and began to market a line of guitar amplifiers . Univox also distributed guitars by Matsumoku , effects units by Shin-Ei Companion, and synthesizers by Crumar and Korg .
75-682: In 1985, the Wickes Companies sold Unicord to Korg, and the Univox brand was phased out. In 1964, Unicord (a manufacturer of electric transformers acquired by Gulf and Western Industries in 1959) purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America and began marketing a line of amplifiers under the name of Univox. Univox-branded fretted instruments (electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses) began being imported from Japanese contract manufacturer Matsumoku in 1968, In 1978 Unicord phased out
150-512: A Birmingham, Alabama based company, became the first to build a production facility in Flint's former Buick City site, purchasing the property from the RACER Trust . Commercially, local organizations have attempted to pool their resources in the central business district and to expand and bolster higher education at four local institutions. Examples of their efforts include the following: Similar to
225-514: A $ 6 million public safety millage on the ballot and sold Genesee Towers to a development group for $ 1 to demolish the structure. The board certified the referendum petition on August 8, returning the previous Emergency Financial Manager Law into effect. With Brown previously temporary mayor for the last few years, he was ineligible to be the Emergency Financial Manager. Ed Kurtz was once again appointed Emergency Financial Manager by
300-525: A cautionary sign warning of falling debris was put on the sidewalk in front of it. An investment company purchased the building for $ 1, and it was demolished (by implosion ) on December 22, 2013. Typical of southeastern Michigan, Flint has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 6a. Winters are cold, with moderate snowfall and temperatures not rising above freezing on an average 52 days annually, while dropping to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on an average 9.3 days
375-560: A former Gamble-Skogmo subsidiary operating 29 discount variety stores in the Western U.S. Wickes started bankruptcy reorganization in April 1982. With $ 1.6 billion in debt at stake, it was at the time largest Chapter 11 reorganization since the passage of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 . Sanford C. Sigoloff , a specialist in guiding and restructuring companies in bankruptcy proceedings,
450-650: A large deposit of graphite on a visit to Mexico, the brothers established the United States Graphite Company. The three companies were merged in 1947 to form the Wickes Corp. In 1952, Wickes opened a retail lumber store in Bay City, Michigan , the Bay City Cash Way Company. The outlet saw success selling lumber to small independent lumber companies, additional outlets were opened, and the business
525-795: A lawsuit was filed by labor union AFSCME , and a restraining order was issued against Brown, his appointment was found to be in violation of the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and Mayor Walling and the City Council had their powers returned. The state immediately filed an emergency appeal, claiming the financial emergency still existed. On March 26, the appeal was granted, putting Brown back in power. Brown and several unions agreed to new contract terms in April. Brown unveiled his fiscal year 2013 budget on April 23. It included cuts in nearly every department including police and fire, as well as higher taxes. An Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District
600-402: A leading manufacturer of carriages and later automobiles , earning it the nickname "Vehicle City". General Motors (GM) was founded in Flint in 1908, and the city grew into an automobile manufacturing powerhouse for GM's Buick and Chevrolet divisions, especially after World War II up until the early 1980s recession . Flint was also the home of a sit-down strike in 1936–37 that played
675-455: A manufacturer of electrical transformers. When the original Marshalls came to the U.S., Unicord's engineers were concerned that the output transformers could not reliably handle the full output. Unicord redesigned the output transformers and told Marshall to use the Unicord design in all units shipped to the U.S., and Marshall could use the design outside the U.S. if they wanted to. Marshall did adopt
750-482: A plan in Detroit, Flint is in the process of tearing down thousands of abandoned homes to create available real estate. As of June 2009, approximately 1,100 homes have been demolished in Flint, with one official estimating another 3,000 more will have to be torn down. On September 30, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder appointed an eight-member team to review Flint's financial state with a request to report back in 30 days (half
825-535: A subregion of Flint/Tri-Cities. It is located along the Flint River, which flows through Lapeer , Genesee, and Saginaw counties and is 78.3 mi (126.0 km) long. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 34.06 square miles (88.21 km ), of which, 33.42 square miles (86.56 km ) is land and 0.64 square miles (1.66 km ) is water. Flint lies just to
SECTION 10
#1732855789536900-532: A vital role in the formation of the United Auto Workers . Since the late 1960s, Flint has faced several crises. The city experienced an economic downturn after GM significantly downsized its workforce in the area from a high of 80,000 in 1978 to under 8,000 by 2010. From 1960 to 2010, the population of the city nearly halved, from 196,940 to 102,434. In the mid-2000s, Flint became known for its comparatively high crime rates and has repeatedly been ranked among
975-512: A year; summers are warm to hot with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) on 9.0 days. The monthly daily mean temperature ranges from 23.0 °F (−5.0 °C) in January to 70.9 °F (21.6 °C) in July. Official temperature extremes range from 108 °F (42 °C) on July 8 and 13, 1936 down to −25 °F (−32 °C) on January 18, 1976, and February 20, 2015; the record low maximum
1050-579: Is semi-pro football at Atwood Stadium with the Flint Fury. Atwood is an 11,000+ seat stadium in downtown Flint which has hosted many events, including baseball. When artificial turf was installed, it was no longer able to host baseball games. The Flint Fury have been in action since 2003, and are currently a part of the Great Lakes Football League . The team was founded by two of its players; Charles Lawler and Prince Goodson, who both played for
1125-497: Is River Village, an example of gentrification via mixed-income public housing. To the east of I-475 is Central Park and Fairfield Village. These are the only two neighborhoods between UM-Flint and Mott Community College and enjoy strong neighborhood associations. Central Park piloted a project to convert street lights to LED and is defined by seven cul-de-sacs. The North Side and 5th Ward are predominantly African American, with such historic districts as Buick City and Civic Park on
1200-508: Is located entirely within Genesee County. It is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Michigan with a population of 406,892 in 2020. The city was incorporated in 1855. Flint was founded as a village by fur trader Jacob Smith in 1819 and became a major lumbering area on the historic Saginaw Trail during the 19th century. From the late 19th century to the mid 20th century, the city was
1275-785: Is moderate and somewhat evenly-distributed throughout the year, although the warmer months average more, averaging 31.97 inches (812 mm) annually, but historically ranging from 18.08 in (459 mm) in 1963 to 45.38 in (1,153 mm) in 1975. Snowfall, which typically falls in measurable amounts between November 12 through April 9 (occasionally in October and very rarely in May), averages 52.1 inches (132 cm) per year, although historically ranging from 16.0 in (41 cm) in 1944–45 to 85.3 in (217 cm) in 2017–18. A snow depth of 1 in (2.5 cm) or more occurs on an average 64 days, with 53 days from December to February. As of
1350-691: Is the site of the Applewood Mott Estate, and Mott Community College, the Cultural Center , and East Village , one of Flint's more prosperous areas. The surrounding neighborhood is called the College/Cultural Neighborhood, with a strong neighborhood association, lower crime rate and stable housing prices. Just north is Eastside Proper, also known as the State Streets, and has much of Flint's Hispanic community. The West Side includes
1425-451: Is −4 °F (−20 °C) on January 18, 1994 , while, conversely the record high minimum is 79 °F (26 °C) on July 18, 1942. Decades may pass between readings of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher, which last occurred July 17, 2012 . The average window for freezing temperatures is October 8 thru May 7, allowing a growing season of 153 days. On June 8, 1953, Flint was hit by an F5 tornado , which claimed 116 lives. Precipitation
1500-541: The Detroit Free Press stated that area community leaders stated that the Hispanic and Latino people made up close to 6% of the city population, while the city also had 142 Arab-American families. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly over 1% of Flint's population was born outside the U.S., and over three-quarters of that foreign-born population have become naturalized citizens. There
1575-500: The Dort , Little , Flint , and Mason brands. Chevrolet's first (and for many years, main) manufacturing facility was also in Flint, although the Chevrolet headquarters were in Detroit. For a brief period, all Chevrolets and Buicks were built in Flint. The first Ladies' Library Association in Michigan was started in Flint in 1851 in the home of Maria Smith Stockton, daughter of the founder of
SECTION 20
#17328557895361650-619: The November 4, 2014 , ballot with the charter review commission proposal passing along with reduction of mayoral staff appointments and budgetary amendments. Proposals which would eliminate certain executive departments, the Civil Service Commission and the ombudsman office were defeated. Flint elected a nine-member Charter Review Commission on May 5, 2015. With Earley appointed to be emergency manager for Detroit Public Schools on January 13, 2015 , city financial adviser Jerry Ambrose
1725-507: The census of 2010, there were 102,434 people, 40,472 households, and 23,949 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,065.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,183.4/km ). There were 51,321 housing units at an average density of 1,535.6 units per square mile (592.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 56.6% African American , 37.4% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of
1800-623: The B Group amplifiers, covered in two-toned blue or gray Tolex with distinctive ovaloid cosmetics. The C-Group (UX) line of amps were used by The Jeff Beck Group and Led Zeppelin . In 1962, Gulf and Western acquired Merson Musical Products, an importer of various headstock-brand guitars such as Tempo, Giannini and Hagström . Around 1968, they started producing Univox-branded guitars. Unicord and Merson split in 1975, but Unicord continued to make Univox guitars until about 1978, even adding some newer models. Univox had many effects units, generally made by Shin-Ei, but perhaps their most well known
1875-613: The Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board. Two lawsuits were filed in September 2012, one by the city council against Kurtz's appointment, while another was against the state in Ingham County Circuit Court claiming the old emergency financial manager law remains repealed. On November 30, State Treasurer Andy Dillon announced the financial emergency was still ongoing, and the emergency manager
1950-428: The Michigan lumber industry. Revenue from lumber funded the establishment of a local carriage-making industry. As horse-drawn carriages gave way to the automobiles, Flint then naturally grew into a major player in the nascent auto industry. Buick Motor Company, after a rudimentary start in Detroit, soon moved to Flint. AC Spark Plug originated in Flint. These were followed by several now-defunct automobile marques such as
2025-535: The Mid-West and the Mid-Atlantic. Since the late 1960s through the end of the 20th century, Flint has suffered from disinvestment , deindustrialization , depopulation and urban decay , as well as high rates of crime, unemployment and poverty. Initially, this took the form of " white flight " that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities. Given Flint's role in the automotive industry, this decline
2100-530: The Unicord design for all their tube amps. Tony Frank, the design engineer at Unicord, created the dual-volume-control two-stage pre-amp that Marshall introduced with their 4140 and 2150 amplifiers, which allowed a "super-dirty" fuzz even at extremely low volumes. A number of tube and solid-state amplifiers were produced by Univox over the years. These ranged from small practice combo amps to powerful heads with separate cabinets. Some models had built-in spring reverb and tremolo effects. In 1971, Univox introduced
2175-440: The Univox line of guitars and equipment. They switched to an original guitar line called "Westbury", and an amp line called Stage which lasted until about 1982. The Unicord Corporation was purchased by Korg in 1985, effectively ending the line. Univox was best known for its copies of instruments from better-known companies such as Fender , Gibson , Rickenbacker , Ampeg/Dan Armstrong , Epiphone and others. The Univox Hi-Flier
2250-452: The area's lumber industry. The brothers, along with partner H.W. Wood, later established Genesee Iron Works, a foundry and machine shop; after buying out Wood, the business was renamed Wickes Bros. Iron Works and moved to Saginaw, Michigan , to be closer to a source of pig iron . The company manufactured gang saws and refurbished and resold other sawmill equipment. A separate business was established to manufacture boilers. After discovering
2325-579: The automotive industry. A freighter named after the city, the SS City of Flint , was the first US ship to be captured during the Second World War, in October 1939. The vessel was later sunk in 1943. On June 8, 1953, the Flint-Beecher tornado , a large F5 tornado , struck the city, killing 116 people. The city's population peaked in 1960 at almost 200,000, at which time it was the second largest city in
Univox - Misplaced Pages Continue
2400-554: The board on February 17, 2004, the City Retirement Board agreed to four proposals reducing the amount of the city's contribution into the system. On March 24, Kurtz indicated that he would raise the City Council's and the mayor's pay, and in May, Kurtz laid off 10 workers as part of 35 job cuts for the 2004–05 budget. In June 2004, Kurtz reported that the financial emergency was over. In November 2013, American Cast Iron Pipe Company ,
2475-673: The center of manufacturing for and profits from the nation's carriage industry until the 1920s and are the site of many well-preserved Victorian homes and the setting of Atwood Stadium. The University Avenue corridor of Carriage Town is home to the largest concentration of Greek housing in the area, with fraternity houses from both Kettering University, and the University of Michigan-Flint. Chapter houses include Phi Delta Theta , Sigma Alpha Epsilon , Delta Chi , Theta Chi , Lambda Chi Alpha , Theta Xi , Alpha Phi Alpha , Phi Gamma Delta , and Delta Tau Delta Fraternities. Just north of downtown
2550-499: The city has secured a new source of clean water, installed modern copper pipes to nearly every home, and distributed filters to all residents who want them. However, a legacy of distrust in public authorities remains. The region was home to several Ojibwe tribes at the start of the 19th century, with a particularly significant community established near present-day Montrose . The Flint River had several convenient fords which became points of contention among rival tribes, as attested by
2625-450: The city's southwestern corner); Powertrain North, Flint Tool and Die and Delphi East. The largest plant, Buick City, and adjacent facilities have been demolished. Half of Flint's fourteen tallest buildings were built during the 1920s. The 19-story Genesee Towers, formerly the city's tallest building, was completed in 1968. The building became unused in later years and fell into severe disrepair:
2700-406: The city's voters recalled Mayor Woodrow Stanley . On May 22, Governor John Engler declared a financial emergency in Flint, and on July 8 the state appointed an emergency financial manager , Ed Kurtz. The emergency financial manager displaced the temporary mayor, Darnell Earley , in the city administrator position. In August 2002, city voters elected former Mayor James Rutherford to finish
2775-466: The community. This library, initially private, is considered the precursor of the current Flint Public Library. In 1904, local entrepreneur William C. Durant was brought in to manage Buick, which became the largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, Durant founded General Motors (GM), filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint. GM moved its headquarters to Detroit in
2850-518: The company closed and was liquidated in October 2007. Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan , United States. Located along the Flint River , 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Detroit , it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan . At the 2020 census , Flint had a population of 81,252, making it the twelfth-most populous city in Michigan. The Flint metropolitan area
2925-588: The company. The Wickes Companies bought Collins & Aikman in 1987 for $ 1.16 billion. In 1989, Wickes was merged into WCI Holdings, controlled by the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Wasserstein Perella & Co . WCI changed its name to Collins & Aikman and moved its headquarters from California to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1992. Amid liquidity issues and questions about its accounting practices, Collins & Aikman filed for bankruptcy in 2005. After operations were shut down or sold off,
3000-512: The fact that anticorrosive measures were not implemented. After two independent studies, lead poisoning caused by the water was found in the area's population. This has led to several lawsuits, the resignation of several officials, fifteen criminal indictments, and a federal public health state of emergency for all of Genesee County. Flint lies in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan . Flint and Genesee County can be categorized as
3075-439: The governor's home. The next day, Brown filed a financial and operating plan with the state as mandated by law. The next month, each ward in the city had a community engagement meeting hosted by Brown. Governor Snyder on March 7 made a statewide public safety message from Flint City Hall that included help for Flint with plans for reopening the Flint lockup and increasing state police patrols in Flint. On March 20, 2012, days after
Univox - Misplaced Pages Continue
3150-491: The legal time for a review). On November 8, Mayor Dayne Walling defeated challenger Darryl Buchanan 8,819 votes (56%) to 6,868 votes (44%). That same day, the Michigan State review panel declared Flint to be in a state of a "local government financial emergency" recommending the state again appoint an emergency manager. On November 14, the City Council voted 7 to 2 to not appeal the state review with Mayor Walling concurring
3225-731: The main site of the 1936–37 sit-down strike, the Mott Park neighborhood, Kettering University, and the historic Woodcroft Estates, owned in the past by legendary automotive executives and current home to prominent and historic Flint families such as the Motts, the Manleys, and the Smiths. Facilities associated with General Motors in the past and present are scattered throughout the city, including GM Truck and Bus, Flint Metal Center and Powertrain South (clustered together on
3300-470: The mayor. The Receivership Transit Authority Board was formally dissolved by State Treasurer Nick Khouri on April 10, 2018, returning the city to local control. In April 2014, during a financial crisis, state-appointed emergency manager Darnell Earley changed Flint's water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (sourced from Lake Huron ) to the Flint River. The problem was compounded with
3375-413: The mid-1920s. Durant lost control of GM twice during his lifetime. On the first occasion, he befriended Louis Chevrolet and founded Chevrolet, which was a runaway success. He used the capital from this success to buy back share control. He later lost decisive control again, permanently. Durant experienced financial ruin in the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequently ran a bowling alley in Flint until
3450-455: The most dangerous cities in the United States according to crime statistics. The city was under a state of financial emergency from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2015. From 2014 to 2019, Flint faced a public health emergency due to lead contamination in parts of the local water supply as well as an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease . The acute lead crisis has been addressed as
3525-510: The negative market perception Unicord introduced the Stage brand; the only difference between the Univox and Stage equipment was the nameplate, attached prior to shipping. Unicord was also the U.S. distributor for both Marshall amplifiers and Korg synthesizers. The Marshalls used EL34 output tubes, but as they could barely reach the rated output wattage Unicord replaced them with KT88 tubes before shipping to U.S. vendors. Unicord had begun as
3600-436: The next day. Governor Snyder appointed Michael Brown as the city's emergency manager. On December 2, Brown dismissed a number of top administrators. Pay and benefits from Flint's elected officials were automatically removed. On December 8, the office of ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission were eliminated by Brown. On January 16, 2012, protestors against the emergency manager law including Flint residents marched near
3675-481: The north, and Sugar Hill, Floral Park, and Kent and Elm Parks on the south. Many of these neighborhoods were the original centers of early Michigan blues . The South Side in particular was also a center for multi-racial migration from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep South since World War II. These neighborhoods are most often lower income but have maintained some level of economic stratification. The East Side
3750-587: The northeast of the Flint hills. The terrain is low and rolling along the south and east sides, and flatter to the northwest. Flint has several neighborhoods grouped around the center of the city on the four cardinal sides. The downtown business district is centered on Saginaw Street south of the Flint River. Just west, on opposite sides of the river, are Carriage Town (north) and the Grand Traverse Street District (south). Both neighborhoods boast strong neighborhood associations. These neighborhoods were
3825-539: The ombudsman's office. In September, a 4% pay cut was agreed to by the city's largest union. In October, Kurtz moved in favor of infrastructure improvements, authorizing $ 1 million in sewer and road projects. Don Williamson was elected a full-term mayor and sworn in on November 10. In December, city audits reported nearly $ 14 million in reductions in the city deficit. For the 2003–2004 budget year, estimates decreased that amount to between $ 6 million and $ 8 million. With pressure from Kurtz for large layoffs and replacement of
SECTION 50
#17328557895363900-407: The police chief. McKeighan survived his recall only to face conspiracy charges in 1928. McKeighan was under investigation for a multitude of crimes which angered city leaders enough to push for changes in the city charter. In 1928, the city adopted a new city charter with a council-manager form of government. Subsequently, McKeighan ran the "Green Slate" of candidates who won in 1931 and 1932 and he
3975-473: The population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 35.7% of the population in 2010, compared to 70.1% in 1970. There were 40,472 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.1% were married couples living together, 29.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who
4050-521: The presence of nearby arrowheads and burial mounds. Some of the city currently resides atop ancient Ojibwe burial grounds. In 1819, Jacob Smith , a fur trader on cordial terms with both the local Ojibwe and the territorial government, founded a trading post at the Grand Traverse of the Flint River. On several occasions, Smith negotiated land exchanges with the Ojibwe on behalf of the U.S. government, and he
4125-526: The remainder of Stanley's term of office. On September 24, Kurtz commissioned a salary and wage study for top city officials from an outside accounting and consulting firm. The financial manager then installed a new code enforcement program for annual rental inspections and emergency demolitions. On October 8, Kurtz ordered cuts in pay for the mayor (from $ 107,000 to $ 24,000) and the City Council members (from $ 23,000 to $ 18,000). He also eliminated insurance benefits for most officials. After spending $ 245,000 fighting
4200-539: The return of overpayments to the pension fund. However, in December, the state attorney general stated that emergency financial managers do not have authority over the retirement system. With contract talks stalled, Kurtz stated that there either need to be cuts or layoffs to union employees. That same month, the city's recreation centers were temporarily closed. Emergency measures continued in 2003. In May, Kurtz increased water and sewer bills by 11% and shut down operations of
4275-518: The spin-out of the Wickes Lumber Company as a new public company. In June 1997, Wickes Lumber changed its corporate name to "Wickes Inc." In its last published financial statements, Wickes Inc. reported a net loss of over $ 45 million for the six months leading up to June 2003. In January 2004, Wickes Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In September 2004, an agreement was reached to sell its 59 remaining lumberyards to various buyers, liquidating
4350-539: The state. The decades of the 1950s and 1960s are seen as the height of Flint's prosperity and influence. They culminated with the establishment of many local institutions, most notably the Flint Cultural Center . This landmark remains one of the city's chief commercial and artistic draws to this day. The city's Bishop International Airport was the busiest in Michigan for United Airlines apart from Detroit Metropolitan Airport , with flights to many destinations in
4425-542: The strike by Governor Frank Murphy , culminating in a one-page agreement recognizing the Union and rehiring workers fired due to strike participation began an era of successful organizing by the UAW. The city was a major contributor of tanks and other war machines during World War II due to its extensive manufacturing facilities. For decades, Flint remained politically significant as a major population center as well as for its importance to
4500-410: The takeover, the City Council ended the lawsuits on October 14. Immediately thereafter on October 16, a new interim financial plan was put in place by the manager. This plan initiated controls on hiring, overnight travel and spending by city employees. On November 12, Kurtz directed the city's retirement board to stop unusual pension benefits, which had decreased some retiree pensions by 3.5%. Kurtz sought
4575-496: The time of his death in 1947. The city's mayors were targeted for recall twice, Mayor David R. Cuthbertson in 1924 and Mayor William H. McKeighan in 1927. Recall supporters in both cases were jailed by the police. Cuthbertson had angered the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) by the appointment of a Catholic police chief. The KKK led the recall effort and supported Judson Transue , Cuthbertson's elected successor. Transue however did not remove
SECTION 60
#17328557895364650-419: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 33.6 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. In 2016, Niraj Warikoo of
4725-404: Was October 31. He was succeeded by Saginaw city manager (and former Flint temporary mayor) Darnell Earley. Earley formed a blue ribbon committee on governance with 23 members on January 16, 2014, to review city operations and consider possible charter amendments. The blue ribbon committee recommend that the city move to a council-manager government. Six charter amendment proposals were placed on
4800-474: Was based loosely on the distinctive Mosrite "reverse swept" shape; it was popularized in the early 1990s by Kurt Cobain , almost two decades after original production had ceased. The Univox name developed a market reputation as cheap because Unicord had copied amplifier designs from companies such as Shure and Electro-Voice instead of doing major original research and development. Univox used time-proven electronic circuits and quality components, but to avoid
4875-729: Was brought in as CEO. After selling off or closing many of its general retail businesses and other divisions, Wickes emerged from bankruptcy in 1985. Shortly after emerging from bankruptcy in 1985, Wickes acquired the Gulf and Western Consumer and Industrial Products Group division of Gulf and Western Industries for approximately $ 1 billion. The division included the following subsidiaries: W.R. Grace , another conglomerate which Sigoloff had recently led through restructuring, began to sell off its 660-store retail division piecemeal in 1985. Wickes bought Orchard Supply Hardware and Home Centers West from Grace in May 1986. In April 1988, Wickes completed
4950-780: Was created by Manager Brown in June 2012 for 11 downtown Flint properties. On July 19, the city pension system was transferred to the Municipal Employees Retirement System by the city's retirement board which led to a legal challenge. On August 3, 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court ordered the state Board of Canvassers to certify a referendum on Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager Law, for the November ballot. Brown made several actions on August 7 including placing
5025-635: Was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis with spiking oil prices and the U.S. auto industry's subsequent loss of market share to imports, as Japanese manufacturers were producing cars with better fuel economy . In the 1980s, the rate of deindustrialization accelerated again with local GM employment falling from a 1978 high of 80,000 to under 8,000 by 2010. Only 10% of the manufacturing work force from its height remains in Flint. Many factors have been blamed, including outsourcing , offshoring , increased automation , and moving jobs to non-union facilities in right to work states and foreign countries. This decline
5100-494: Was formed to be the parent company of the Wickes Corp. In 1978, Wickes bought the Builders Emporium chain of retail home improvement stores. In August 1980, Wickes acquired Gamble-Skogmo Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based retail conglomerate, for more than $ 200 million. Although this grew Wickes aggregate sales to more than $ 4 billion per year, the company took on significant new debt. In May 1981, Wickes shut down Tempo,
5175-658: Was highlighted in the film Roger & Me by Michael Moore (the title refers to Roger B. Smith , the CEO of General Motors during the 1980s). Also highlighted in Moore's documentary was the failure of city officials to reverse the trends with entertainment options (e.g. the now-demolished AutoWorld ) during the 1980s. Moore, a native of Davison (a Flint suburb), revisited Flint in his later movies, including Bowling for Columbine , Fahrenheit 9/11 , and Fahrenheit 11/9 . By 2002, Flint had accrued $ 30 million in debt. On March 5, 2002,
5250-406: Was highly regarded on both sides. Smith apportioned many of his holdings to his children. As the ideal stopover on the overland route between Detroit and Saginaw , Flint grew into a small but prosperous village and incorporated in 1855. The 1860 U.S. census indicated that Genesee County had a population of 22,498 of Michigan's 750,000. In the latter half of the 19th century, Flint became a center of
5325-510: Was renamed Wickes Lumber Co. in 1962. The boiler business was sold in 1959. Wickes was also buying other businesses; among them, it acquired the Michigan Bean Company, one of the country's largest bean storage facilities, in December 1955 in an all-stock transaction valued at $ 1.6 million. Other acquisitions came in the areas of retail furniture, consumer credit, modular housing, and commercial construction. In 1971, Wickes Companies, Inc.
5400-504: Was select as mayor in 1931. In 1935, the city residents approved a charter amendment establishing the Civil Service Commission. For the last century, Flint's history has been dominated by both the auto industry and car culture. The Sit-Down Strike of 1936–1937 saw the fledgling United Automobile Workers triumph over General Motors and establish itself as a major union, leading to widespread unionization in US industry. The successful mediation of
5475-532: Was selected to finish out the financial emergency with an expected exit in April. On April 30, 2015 , the state moved the city from under an emergency manager receivership to a Receivership Transition Advisory Board. On November 3, 2015, Flint residents elected Karen Weaver as their first female mayor. On January 22, 2016, the Receivership Transition Advisory Board unanimously voted to return some powers, including appointment authority, to
5550-403: Was still needed. Michael Brown was re-appointed Emergency Manager on June 26, 2013, and returned to work on July 8. Flint had an $ 11.3 million projected deficit when Brown started as emergency manager in 2011. The city faced a $ 19.1 million combined deficit from 2012, with plans to borrow $ 12 million to cover part of it. Brown resigned from his position in early September 2013, and his last day
5625-639: Was the Super-Fuzz Pedal, used by Pete Townshend . Univox also produced the Uni-Vibe , a chorus/vibrato that attempted to emulate a Leslie speaker effect, popularized by Jimi Hendrix . Wickes Companies Wickes Companies was a diversified manufacturing and retail conglomerate. It renamed itself after its subsidiary Collins & Aikman in 1992. The company ceased operations in 2007. Brothers Henry Dunn Wickes and Edward Noyes Wickes moved to Flint, Michigan , from New York in 1854, becoming involved in
#535464