This 93-year-old local treasure has been the region’s go-to for school supplies, furnishings and, now, playgrounds.
By Katherine Pyles
HQ 127 | AUTUMN 2024
For 93 years, Lattas has been more than a business. Since opening in Huntington in 1931, Lattas has been a local landmark, a hub for all things learning and, for some, a lifeline. For third-generation owner Mike Mullarky, it’s been a family tradition.
“The people who worked for my grandfather, my father and myself were the backbone of the growth and success of the company,” Mullarky said. “I was sacking plaster here when I was probably 10 years old. Many hundreds of people came through the ranks, working part time in the warehouse or retail store while working their way through Marshall.”
The Lattas legacy began in 1898 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where an educator named John Stewart Latta opened a school supply store named the J.S. Latta Company. As his company grew, Latta began opening branches around the country, including in Huntington, where Mullarky’s grandfather Hugh DeWolf Mullarky set up shop directly across from Marshall University’s Old Main. The Huntington branch moved into larger space on Fourth Avenue following the 1937 flood before constructing a building of its own on the corner of Fourth Avenue and 15th Street in 1955. There, Lattas became a back-to-school tradition for teachers and parents alike, offering educational resources ranging from arts and crafts to science kits to teaching aids and more.
“The people we’ve always worked with as our customers are just a wonderful group of people,” Mullarky said. “For them, it’s all about the kids. I couldn’t have asked for a better class of professionals to work with.”
The Lattas retail store closed in 2017, and since then the company has transitioned to focusing on school furnishings and commercial playgrounds.
“The culture had changed with the younger teachers, and we found that they were not visiting like our more tenured customers,” Mullarky explained. “The older teachers were retiring, and the millennials were ordering online. I knew we needed to find a new niche to ensure the longevity of the business.”
The pivot proved a great success. Now, Mullarky said, Lattas is thriving in both a new market and a new location: a sprawling warehouse in Huntington’s West End. In late 2023, the Mullarky family sold the building on Fourth Avenue, which will be developed as a cornerstone of Marshall University’s 4th Avenue Innovation District.
“We’ve actually been selling school furnishings from the beginning,” noted Mullarky, pointing to a collection of mail order catalogs dating back to the 1930s. “This new space will help us serve our customers better.”
The new facility features a loading dock, high ceilings, warehouse space and offices, all of which have helped streamline the company’s operations and productivity, Mullarky said. He said what sets Lattas apart is that it’s “a turnkey operation,” handling all design and installation work from start to finish.
Lattas employs 10 individuals — including several current and past employees in recovery and some who’ve been incarcerated for drug-related crime. Mullarky said his goal is to provide them with “a steppingstone to a better life.”
“I believe in second chances,” he said. “And in the long run, we’ve been successful. Many of these guys have used us as a steppingstone to launch out and do something better, which to me is a success. When one of my employees comes to me and says, ‘I got a better job,’ or ‘I’ve got a better opportunity,’ I wish them well. They’re moving on. And as long as they’re moving up, that’s a good thing.”
He said the employees see the fruits of their labor every day.
“My guys love seeing a playground when they get done building it — seeing the kids playing on the equipment and the community enjoying something they’ve built,” he said.
From schools and hospitals to day cares, churches, community spaces and nonprofits, Lattas play structures and furnishings are continuing the educational impact Mullarky’s grandfather envisioned 93 years ago. Lattas has served generations of students and teachers and has shaped educational spaces throughout the region for nearly a century — and it continues to do so today.
“The main thing that has stayed the same throughout our timeline is that it’s always been about the children: our products, our services, our relationships with educators, teachers and school officials,” Mullarky said. “Throughout our entire history, it’s always been about the children. At Lattas we educate, motivate and play — it’s the Latta way.”
