Millers Refridgeration Service Services All Makes
April 19, 1954, Ames Daily Tribune
Miller's Refrigeration Service, located at 529 Main, shares space with the Richardson Appliance service. Tribune photo published April 19, 1954
Sometimes ideas come forcefully. Sometimes one will "bat you in the face" while you are drinking a cup of coffee. That's what happened to Glen Miller and Dale Reinsch one night some time ago.
Glen runs a mechanical refrigeration service called Glenn Miller's Refrigeration Service. Dale Reinsch, a native of Gilbert, works for him at 529 Main street. They sell and repair refrigerator and cooling equipment.
In 1952 they had installed a walk-in freezer for a local grocer. They had equipped it with all of the newest features, including an automatic defroster. It worked beautifully except that each morning the door was standing wide open. The staff at the store had even stacked sacks of potatoes in front of the door in the evening and still it would be open every morning.
Was it a spook?... or who/
Glen and Dale decided to spend the night with the freezer to find out for themselves WHO was opening the door. After checking over the equipment thoroughly they relaxed, or tried to relax, with a cup of coffee.
Glenn..cup in hand, was standing in front of the refrigerator door..when WHAM!...it hit him in the face, cup of coffee and all. At that exact moment Dale had noticed that the automatic defroster had kicked on. With that information, and a background of training and experience, they realized that warming air expands.
When the defroster kicked on, the air immediately warmed and expanded with force enough to open the heavy door. A few simple adjustments soon solved the mystery of the open door.
Miller, who has lived all of his life in or near Ames, spent a session studying the inner workings of refrigerating equipment in the Frigidaire factory in Dayton, Ohio, back in 1937. From that time until Dec. 2, 1941, he worked in Ames as a service man for electrical appliances and refrigerators. On Dec. 2, 1941, only five days before Pearl Harbor day, he entered the Coast Artillery, anti-aircraft division.
While in the service, he attended a special school for maintaining the calculation system for anti-aircraft guns. The school was conducted by the Sperry Gyroscope company. After serving over four years and seeing most of Europe and Africa, he was released from the service July 29, 1945.
A few months before Glen entered the service he married Miss Erma Bates of Ames. That was June 29, 1941. Upon his release from the service he took a little time to get reacquainted with his bride, then started his refrigeration service Oct. 1, 1945.
His first shop was at 213 Fifth street. He moved to his present location, 529 Main, in 1947.
The building now owned and occupied by Glen and his firm is also shard with the Richardson Appliance company, operated by Dwain Richardson. Richardson sells and services such appliances as stoves, washers and dryers.
Glen Miller is adjusting the control on a new Frigidaire room air conditioner. Miller says that he expects many Ames people to install air conditioners in their home this coming season.
Miller, in addition to this franchise for commercial Frigidaire equipment and home air conditioners also sells the Quick Freeze Midget refrigerators (small size units for house trailers and cottages), the Koolerator line, Servel electric refrigerators and the Manitowoc Upright Freezers.
Combined, the two men sell and service all types and kinds of commercial and home appliances. Miller also designs and manufactures some special refrigeration equipment.
According to the 1954 estimates, U.S. citizens will purchase about 1½ million room air conditioners this season to help keep them cool during the hot, sultry summer. Miller is hoping to sell his share of that potential business.
Glen Miller, left, and Dale Reinsch are checking refrigerator compressors in the shop where they service all makes.
This morning he said, "Ames is a fast growing, progressive, thinking community. That's why I established my business here in the first place. I'm sure that Ames residents want all little comforts that are available to them at a reasonable cost, so I expect to sell more room air conditioners this year than ever before.”
Mr. and Mrs. Miller and their three children live at 1204 Clark avenue. Billy is 10 and the twins, Margaret and Maurice, are 7. The twins were the 1947 Ames Daily Tribune first Baby-of-the-Year contest winners. Mrs. Miller, in addition to running a busy home, also finds time to serve the business as chief bookkeeper.