Our Story
The year was 1987. Gas was $.89 per gallon, Dirty Dancing was simultaneously
invigorating young people and disturbing old people across the USA, and
consumers were less likely to buy "green products" than they were to name
their newborn Gorbachev. Amidst this hugely throw-away consumer lifestyle, a
chemical salesman named Don Stewart stumbled across a recipe for a carpet
cleaner that was safe, made from natural ingredients and really worked. He had
no idea how it would change his life and the life of his customers.
Believing his new formula to be something really special, he set off in his
used 28 foot RV to spread the word to independent retailers nationwide of his
new miracle product. Don was 60 when he first set his rambling wheels to
pavement. People thought it was crazy that a man at his age would take off for
8 to 10 months at a time going from store to store to personally introduce
them to his product Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator. But it worked… People loved
his product as much as he did! Within 5 years he had gone from coast to coast
(several times) and had several hundred retailers selling his stain remover.
As time went on, he continued to grow his line using the same foundational
premise: inexpensive, safe, natural and most of all EFFECTIVE! His line of
safe and effective products grew from pet stain removers to grease removers,
drain openers, wine stain removers, boat and RV holding tank cleaners and
carpet shampoos. Don knew that safe, green and clean was the future. But
unlike most green products available, he knew most of all that his products
had to work!
Don's hard work, positive outlook, and persistence, supported by a fantastic
product line, paid off! Today, Unique Manufacturing & Markeing has
nationwide distribution and is carried in over 5,000 stores. After decades on
the road, hundreds of thousands of miles, several new RV's and countless
conversations with store buyers, Don, now over 80, continues to occasionally
visit stores and regale them with the kind of stories that only a salesman of
60 years could possess. Don's amazing ability to remember every store on every
street and every buyer that he's ever visited has made him hundreds of friends
and thousands of customers. Unique Manufacturing & Marketing has
had a heck of a run and the future looks brighter than ever! Stay with us and
you'll be surprised to see the fun and creative ways that we are blending our
old fashioned values with our ambitious and innovative future.
