The history of Brownwood Glass & Alignment
In 1907, Brownwood Glass and Alignment had its beginnings as a blacksmith shop, which was thenlocated in the current Bank of America parking lot near Trans Texas Tire. The address then was 100 Main, and our shop can be found on Brownwood City maps beginning in 1915. Soon the blacksmith shop expanded and began making wagon wheels. As the times changed, they soon began selling automotive tires and performing automotive repairs.
In 1936, Jay McCullough and RW Coggin were the owners; a new building had been built around the old blacksmith shop (which was then torn down, reportedly resulting in only one day's loss of work); the shop was called "RW Coggin and Company", and the first alignment machine was installed above the floor of the shop. Ed Morgan soon joined them, as he married Mr. Coggin's daughter, Lettie B, in 1938. In 1941, a pit was installed inside the shop, and a new alignment machine was then purchased.
In 1946, Floyd White (now retired) went to work for Jay McCullough. Four years later, the shop was renamed "Brownwood Glass & Alignment", and Jay McCullough sold out to RW Coggin. Floyd began doing automotive glass work in 1952. Also during the 1950's, RW Coggin (who had done auto glass work and who provided automotive upholstery service) retired, and Ed Morgan became the owner/manager of the shop at this point.
Big things happened in 1968, as the shop had to be torn down. Reports indicate that the Main Hotel was being demolished, and a bulldozer was used to pull down the last wall of the hotel. That wall then ricocheted into the wall of Brownwood Glass & Alignment, knocking in a wall of the shop. Ed Morgan, who was the owner of the business at this time, spoke with Floyd White and offered to sell him the business. At this point, Floyd relocated to the current location, purchasing the building from Mr. Wilson (Wilson's Truck Service) and became the proud owner of Brownwood Glass & Alignment. The little red car was moved to the new building and installed in its current location, and the alignment machine was moved using a front end loader. (Historical note: The property where the shop now stands was once a wagon yard in the early days of Brownwood and also housed a fruit stand, which many oldtimers fondly remember. Behind the shop, there is now a vacant lot where the Son Hotel and Rooming House once stood, which was purchased by Floyd White's wife, Edna, who then opened it as the Big House of Gifts, Bed & Breakfast.)
Once the new shop was opened, Ed Morgan went to work for Floyd. Don White followed in his father's footsteps in 1970, as he began part-time employment at Brownwood Glass & Alignment at this time. In 1971, Don came aboard full-time, working alongside Floyd and Ed Morgan. In 1985, Jody Kirkland joined the crew and worked until 2000 before moving out of town. Finally, in 1994, Floyd retired, and Don and his wife, Regena, assumed ownership of Brownwood Glass and Alignment. In 2006, their daughter, Melissa White Burney, shown with her daughter, Paislee, joined them in the family business, and now handles public relations for the family business. Currently, there are eight employees working at Brownwood Glass & Alignment.
