Colorado Case Company status

[Jim Rohrer]

I haven’t posted very often but I’m reading this thread with great interest and feel the need to chime in, as this is a personal story for me. In 1992 I founded Small Dog Case Covers.

At the time I was playing mandolin for for the bluegrass group Southern Rail and was looking for a case cover for my shaped F style case. I had a Tough Traveler cover for my rectangular case and thought it to be a great product, but no one that I knew of was making covers for the shaped Harptone cases (this was before internet searches!) I knew Jean Cavallaro (the owner of Cavallaro Case Covers) and asked her to make me a custom cover for my case. Cavallaro, at that time had been in business over 20 years and specialized in covers for orchestral instruments, primarily woodwinds. Jean and I designed a cover for the mandolin, and when I took it with me on trips with the band there were more than a few other pickers who asked me to get them one. When dealers began to inquire, Jean recommended I start my own brand, with my label and logo, and she would handle the manufacturing.

The label was a no-brainer... my Italian Greyhound, Cosmo became the “Small Dog” of Small Dog. My mission was to acquire as many fretted instrument case patterns as possible, including patterns for the classic cases of the 20’s, the golden age of fretted instruments. Cavallaro Case had 6 employees and did all of their manufacturing in house. There were 3 stitchers, a pattern cutter, a shipper and a designer. We bought all of our materials locally- there were still a few textile mills in Massachusetts! Remember that the bulk of Cavallaro Case’s business was covers for flute cases, with many different flute company names on the label and the Cavallaro mark inside. They shipped 2 to 3 hundred bags a month to Japan alone!

Do to personal reasons I sold the Small Dog brand to Jean Cavallaro, and when she retired, Mike Cooney of Professional Music Products purchased the business. Small Dog then represented a good portion of the company’s sales and Mike hired me on as general manager. It was a rewarding time for me, travelling and representing Small Dog and Cavallaro at many trade shows and bluegrass festivals. My favorite part was meeting the users of the bags and it makes me proud to know that many of the covers are still in service!

I want to thank the administrators for posting the contractor’s story of Colorado Case above... it was very informative indeed. I was happy that they continued the Small Dog and Cavallaro brands along with their own fine product. Thanks for reading my little story.

Best regards everyone,
Jim

[fatt-dad]

Cool story, Jim! Very happy my Gibson A3 sits inside one!

f-d

[dang]

I have two Colorado case covers and while I don’t use them all the time, I am very glad they are there when I need them!

Thanks for the update, sorry to hear about the misfortunes of the people involved

[AlanN]

Dang, Jim:

I well remember Southern Rail at Arnold Banker's festival in Shinhopple, NY; I hope the photo (of another band, ha!) recalls some fond memories.

Good to read your post and learn some more of the back story. Your entrance into the market came at a good time when there were few (if any) cover makers around. I had a nice square Superior case with a blue interior that somewhere I found a blue canvas cover for that fit perfectly. Then, along came Small Dog...with fleece lining and a solid zipper! All of a sudden, every Calton case seemed to wear one; it became simply a logical and perfect accessory. Here's my last one - note the pocket orientation (a custom ask). I also had pull handles installed on both ends.

P.S. Still have that dandy O'Brien?

[Jim Rohrer]

Thanks Alan... some good memories there. That was a fun festival.
I still play the O’Brien... as a matter of fact it is my avatar picture.
Here is an old ad photo of the products, excuse the sloppy picture quality, it’s my only copy...

[AlanN]

Very cool. You created and marketed an awesome product which has stood the test of time, with nary a make-over. What was available 25 years ago is what was available until recently, to a stitch!

That festival was indeed great. New Grass Revival, Bill Monroe, Frank Wakefield, Lost & Found, The Osborne Brothers, Bill Harrell, Del McCoury, Chubby Wise, Tony Rice, many others. And there was a pool! The photo above is interesting in that it marked the first summer for Wayne Benson to be in the band, Ray was still on electric bass and that's Barry Abernathy on banjo. Plus, they had mullets

[Ed Goist]

Do case covers need covers, and if so, wouldn't things quickly become a matter of infinite regression?

[Mandolin Cafe]

Do case covers need covers, and if so, wouldn't things quickly become a matter of infinite regression?

Merits its own separate discussion, please. Lets not turn this thread into another Blue Chip Pick/Tonerite/Mandolin Capos/Scroll debate melt-down.

[MandoAblyss]

Website can still be accessed... is it just a ghost?