How It All Began For Hughie’s

Hughie’s Flowers and Film Service, as it was originally known, was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1953 by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Callaly and was located in a mere 900 square foot downtown storefront offering floral services, film processing and audio-visual equipment rentals.

In April 1994, after 41 years of serving the northeast Ohio area, the Callaly’s retired and sold the business to 18-year employee David Wheeler. Upon taking charge of the company, Mr. Wheeler divided the two businesses into two separate locations. The floral shop, Hughie's Flowers, remained at the same East Twelfth Street location it had been for the past 45 years, while the audio-visual and staging departments, Hughie's Audio-Visual, moved to a larger 10,000 square foot facility in the downtown Cleveland area.

Mr. Wheeler, by investing over $750,000 over the next three years, was able to purchase new equipment, hire employees with over 150 years of total industry-related experience, and offer a one-hour downtown delivery guarantee with a nine vehicle delivery fleet. Hughie’s Audio-Visual then became the recognized leader in the northeast Ohio area and across the country for providing the latest in data/video projection, video equipment, staging, lighting, and audio-visual products. Hughie’s technicians are a group of skilled professionals who can deliver, set-up, operate and instruct customers in the proper use of the equipment.

In July 1997, Hughie’s opened another office in Akron, Ohio at the Ramada Plaza Hotel. This office also offered a one-hour downtown delivery promise to Hughie’s Akron customers and also provides the latest in audio-visual technology to the Akron/Canton areas.

The expansion continued with the purchase of Singer Audio-Visual Equipment Rental, Inc., in October 1997. With the entry into the Columbus market, former employees were retained, equipment was purchased and updated, thus solidifying Hughie’s Audio-Visual as the premier audio-visual rental and staging company for all of Ohio with offices in Cleveland, Columbus and Akron.

In January 1998, Hughie’s corporate offices were expanded to include an additional 5,000 square feet of office and warehouse space at the downtown Cleveland location. Later, in October, Mr. Wheeler sold the flower shop to his brother, also a former Hughie’s employee.

Over $1,000,000 was spent in the year 2000 for new rental equipment and total revenues increased to well over 3.3 million dollars. Registration services were also added during the first part of the year.

The year 2001 saw the company solidify its commitment to the Columbus, Ohio market with the purchase of the 25,000 square foot building that they had occupied in Worthington, Ohio since 1987. Later in October, Hughie’s Audio-Visual-Cleveland purchased the inventory and retained key personnel from Cleveland-based Electrastage Systems, Inc., a lighting, rigging, and staging company with a satellite office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

During 2002, Hughie’s merged with Cleveland-based Prism Entertainment Inc., one of the area’s leading complete event design and show management companies. Also during the year, Hughie’s purchased and moved into a much larger 90,000 square foot building in downtown Cleveland that serves as the company’s world headquarters.

Hughie’s Audio-Visual is committed to excellence in all aspects of our products and services. It is our pledge to maintain the latest video, audio, and computer projection equipment and personnel by delivering and providing these services far more superior than our competitors.