OUR HISTORY
American Textile Maintenance Company
Republic Linen Service was founded in 1932 as an owner-employee company, purchased on credit with one truck and some towels we laundered through a local laundry service. Sam Snookal, our founder, operated this way until 1946 when he acquired a much needed laundry company, American Steam Laundry Corporation, who had been doing business
successfully and reputably since 1900.
The company grew through acquisition and sales under Mr. Snookal’s guidance until 1979 when his son-in-law, Mitch Shames, and his grandson, Brad Shames, purchased his stock in the corporation. At the time of the take over, American Steam Laundry was composed of two divisions. They were: Republic Linen Service and Medico Professional Linen Service.
Brad Shames assumed the presidency of American Textile Maintenance Company in 1993. The company has flourished under his guidance and has grown to over 575 employees.
The company, presently doing business in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, consists of the following divisions:
Republic Master Chefs Textile Rental Services
With a customer base of restaurants, snack bars, hotels, motels and food processing companies, our two Southern California plants are among the largest facilities producing general linen services in the Western United States.
Medico Professional Linen Service
Medico Professional Linen Service is a uniform and linen service specializing in private practice and medical clinic businesses in the Southern California area. This operation is the largest linen and uniform service specializing in this niche in the United States and is now being mirrored by our industry peers in other regions of the country.
A wholesale and retail seller of uniform and textiles to institutional, commercial and resort customers. It also functions as the purchasing arm for Republic Master Chefs and Medico Professional Linen Service.
