HOME

FOR THE RECORD

COMMENT

LETTERS

RELIGION

PHOTO

WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN
YPSILANTI

YPSI ON THE NET

SUBSCRIBE

CONTACT
THE COURIER

ARCHIVE EDITIONS

LEGAL NOTICES

ADVERTISING INFO

FORMS

Week of Thursday, May 27, 2004

Arnet’s: Monument
to longevity

There aren’t many local businesses that can make the claim they have been in business for 100 years.

There aren’t many local businesses that can make the claim they have been owned by the same family for all 100 of those years.

Arnet’s Inc. is family-owned and operated, and has been for 100 years.

Martha Arnet-Moomey, co-owner with her sister Caryl Arnet, said tradition is what the business is all about.

"The business started in 1904 with my great grandfather, Joseph L. Arnet," said Arnet-Moomey. "He turned the reins over to my grandfather, then to my father and then to us in 1998. We are still the same family (owning the business), and I think that is the beauty of all that. We are very close to our heritage; we are close to our family."

The business has locations in both Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor and is the oldest family-owned business in Ann Arbor, according to Arnet’s web site.

The family has a receipt dated Oct. 25, 1887, showing payment of $50 for the purchase of a monument produced by Wenzel Arnet. That money allowed Joseph L. Arnet to come to the United States.

With $15 in cash and a $10 loan, he established Arnet’s Memorials.

Following in his father’s footsteps, according to the company’s website, in 1932, Frederick L. Arnet Sr. joined the company. Frederick expanded the business by including architectural stone.

Then in 1953, Frederick L. Arnet Jr. (Larry) joined the company.

During Larry’s management, he expanded the business by purchasing two monument companies and merged them into the Arnet company.

Ypsilanti-based A. J. Burrell and Sons became part of the Arnet company in 1981. In 1990, Becker Memorials in Ann Arbor joined the company. Both locations still exist.

The company became Arnet’s-Becker-Burrell, but is more commonly known as Arnet’s.

"We do a lot of things," said Arnet-Moomey, "We do custom bricks, lettering. We do human cremation, animal cremation, custom signs, bronze plaques and all kinds of accessories."

And as to the tradition, Arnet-Moomey’s son, Jimmey, is following in the family footsteps by being in the family business.

As part of the centennial celebration, at the beginning of June Arnet’s is giving away two college scholarships worth $500 and $1,000.

Top of page

Home | For the Record | Comment | Letters | Religion | Photo | What's Happening in Ypsilanti
Ypsi on the Net | Subscribe | Contact the Courier | Archive Editions | Legal Notices | Advertising Info | Forms

Ypsilanti Courier.com contains select content from the Ypsilanti Courier.
To read all of the Ypsilanti Courier subscribe today to the print edition.

Content ©2004 Ypsilanti Courier Inc.
All Rights Reserved