This shop caught my eye as I was walking down Herzl street in Tel-Aviv. It looked like every type of brush and broom ever made was crammed into this tiny place. And if they don’t have it – they’ll make it for you. But it’s a dying craft.
The Zindstein family has been in the brush business since 1896 in Lublin, Poland. In Israel the Arie Brushes factory was established in 1925 and is now owned by Ami Zindstein – third generation founding member. The friendly lady in the shop tells me there used to be people from Romania and Poland who were specialists in broom and brush making, but there are no more experts to be found – it’s a dying trade.
It’s hard to imagine but this is their factory where all brushes are produced and supplied for a wide variety of industries (security, hi-tech, textile, and printing). Arie-Brushes also supplies the service industry (labs, hospitals and cleaning companies). Besides mass production the factory is willing to even manufacture a single product unit.
The bottom brushes are for cleaning your keyboard and computer. And the blue and white ones are for cleaning espresso machines.
Besides their helpful attitude I think a sense of humour is what has kept this business going for so long.
The sign states: ” To unblock plugged ears. Place brush in one ear and out the other. Good that you asked! Yes the wooden knobs do unscrew.”
“Massage Brush. Imported from India” The metal looks pretty scary to me. Ditto for the “Carpet to keep from slipping in the bath. Can be ordered according to size”
” Collar to prevent sleeping while driving or watching television” ! Two other signs at the bottom of the photo: ” Hair Brush for bald people” and “Brush for potbellies and pregnant women”. Sorry I didn’t manage to get them in the photo.
So sweep all your troubles away and have a happy 2010!
