Strates Shows

Strates Shows, Inc.

Type	Privately held company
Industry	Amusement - Midway
Founded	1923
Headquarters	Orlando, Florida
Key people	E. James Strates (CEO) James E. "Jimmy" Strates (President)
Products	Amusement ride rental/operation and traveling carnival management
Number of employees	400+
Website	http://www.stratescarnivalcompany.com/

Strates Shows, Inc. is a family operated traveling carnival midway company based in Orlando, Florida. It provides amusement rides, games and concessions for local, county and state fairs throughout the United States. Strates Shows is the only midway company in the country that transports their personnel and equipment by train during its annual seven-month season. The train currently comprises 61 rail cars and 34 trucks.

James E. Strates, a Greek immigrant, came to the United States in 1909. He first worked a series of odd jobs, but in 1919, joined Lee Schaefer's Athletic Show as a professional wrestler under the name of "Young Strangler Lewis" after learning the sport at a YMCA in Endicott, New York. Strates, along with partners Nick Bozinis and W.L. Platt, would renovate the show and call it Southern Tier Shows in 1922. The first show consisted of a merry-go-round, ferris wheel, an athletic show, 15 concessions, three side shows and five hard rubber tire trucks. Unfortunately, times were hard that season. Strates bought out his partners the following year. He also continued to wrestle and manage other performers as a side project.

In 1927, Strates purchased an old plant near Elmira, New York in order to help facilitate equipment maintenance. His show grew into 11 major acts, traveling the area on 18 trucks before the Great Depression struck in 1929. Southern Tier Shows struggled over the next few years like other businesses during the period, but many of Strates' creditors carried him through due to his honest reputation. In 1932, the name of the company would be changed to James E. Strates Shows. Beginning in 1934, Strates would purchase his first flatbed railroad cars to haul equipment, eventually operating 40 cars. He continued to buy smaller companies over the next few years to enlarge his business.