The Loo Family
Orin and Miriam Loo started Looart Press, a greeting card and stationery company, in 1947. An artist and lithographer, Orin worked at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City for 10 years before moving his family to Colorado Springs.
The Loos operated the business from home with a garage printing press. Orin used the family sunroom for an art studio and office, and Miriam filled orders at the dining room table. In 1950, Orin sold a 40 percent interest in the business to an investment banker in Evanston, IL.
Miriam started the mail-order side of the business in 1950 while trying to find a market for Orin's boxed note paper, called Post-a-Notes.
The stationery and direct mail-order end of the business grew, and, by 1960, the Loos regained complete ownership of the company. The two operations continued to operate from the Loo home until 1960 when they relocated for the first time. The Loos' two sons, Dusty and Gary, joined the company in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and started to run the company's daily operations.
In 1967, the two companies merged, and the mail-order business took the name Current Inc.
In 1986, Current began a successful new enterprise, selling checks to consumers by direct mail. With over 1,500 employees and one million square feet of plant and office space, Current filled more than three million orders yearly, most just before Christmas, when the company employed about 2,000 workers. With annual sales at $115 million, Current had become the largest direct mail marketer of greeting cards, stationery, gifts, and related products.
Dusty and Gary Loo were committed to giving back to their community. Both served on many boards, including the Pikes Peak YMCA, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Board, the Myron Stratton Home, The Springs Chamber of Commerce, and United Way.
The Loos operated the business from home with a garage printing press. Orin used the family sunroom for an art studio and office, and Miriam filled orders at the dining room table. In 1950, Orin sold a 40 percent interest in the business to an investment banker in Evanston, IL.
Miriam started the mail-order side of the business in 1950 while trying to find a market for Orin's boxed note paper, called Post-a-Notes.
The stationery and direct mail-order end of the business grew, and, by 1960, the Loos regained complete ownership of the company. The two operations continued to operate from the Loo home until 1960 when they relocated for the first time. The Loos' two sons, Dusty and Gary, joined the company in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and started to run the company's daily operations.
In 1967, the two companies merged, and the mail-order business took the name Current Inc.
In 1986, Current began a successful new enterprise, selling checks to consumers by direct mail. With over 1,500 employees and one million square feet of plant and office space, Current filled more than three million orders yearly, most just before Christmas, when the company employed about 2,000 workers. With annual sales at $115 million, Current had become the largest direct mail marketer of greeting cards, stationery, gifts, and related products.
Dusty and Gary Loo were committed to giving back to their community. Both served on many boards, including the Pikes Peak YMCA, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Board, the Myron Stratton Home, The Springs Chamber of Commerce, and United Way.