Cal School Supplies was started as a  business in 1986. Prior to this I was the Director of Purchasing and Contracting in two large school districts in San Diego County over a ten year period. Just out of the Navy in 1971 I worked up to Machine Shop Supervisor, R&D Engineer, and Equipment Division Manager while attending college and raising a family.

 

In 1986 I was determined to make my life more a quality issue, over making all decisions over money and climbing the ladder working for others. Found out peoples words meant nothing in the private sector.

 

With the assistance of my mother Edith, many avenues were taken trying to find the right combination to survive the business world. I first opened a school supply store to open up channels of suppliers and products. It was boring to me. Having four kids to raise I started selling Van Shoes and got an interest once again in longboard surfing. I started selling my own brand of surfboards and changed the business name to Cal School & Sport. This lasted a few years until the surfboard market changed. It was a strange combination of goods sold in the store. School educational supplies, Van shoes, Skateboards and custom made "Crank Surfboards".

 

During this time we developed my own mail lists and began mailing 15,000 flyers per year for playground replacement parts. It worked. Mom passed in 2004. She loved our customers phoning in their orders. Some of you may still remember her.

 

Coming from an Industrial Arts Major in high school, and being a MR (Machinist) in the US Navy during the Viet Nam Era gave me a love of working with my hands and respect for all the blue collar workers out there.

 

The government gave me the resources to go to college and get an advanced business degree but my heart has always been in industrial arts. This is why I love working with maintenance personel at schools and at local government agencies. Honest hard working people and I am able to assist them getting their job done with good quality products, low prices and quick service.

 

I deal under the principle of making life simple. I furnish the best products always trying to reduce your liability in the field. You call and place the order. I place the order with the manufacturer immediately. You get quick shipment and I get paid eventually. No hassle with setting up account for Public Schools or Local Government Agencies. To let you know I do not respond to formal bids. I put out hundreds in my previous jobs. My word and/or handshake is good and honorable.

 

Fred Johnson, Owner