Attman oversees the Washington office of Acme Paper & Supply Co., which celebrated its 65th anniversary in April. The company was founded in Baltimore by Scott’s grandfather Edward Attman. Scott dispels some myths about the name Acme and what a modern-day paper company does. So which came first — Acme Paper or the company Wile E. Coyote uses to buy dynamite from?
When my grandfather started the company he wanted to be first in the phone book because that’s how people found people then. So there was Altman Paper Company and we would have been behind them. That’s how he got to Acme. People always ask [us about] buying explosives — it comes up at least once a week.
Ever used the connection?
When we celebrated our 40th anniversary, we called Warner Bros. to ask them about using the images at a party. And they wrote a very well-written letter back from their legal department back to us that said [don’t] even think of putting the coyote on anything — or else.
Acme now sells everything from janitorial and restaurant supplies to shipping materials. Why?
My grandfather’s motto was if you’re not moving forward you’re moving backward. You’ve got to be constantly looking for the next new product.
[Eight years ago], green products weren’t necessarily the most attractive looking products. Some of our clients said, ‘That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, we’ll never use that.’ And now some of these people are the industry model for green restaurants.
Any similarities between Acme and “The Office” TV show?
My grandfather was born 90 years ago, he has a hard work ethic. But even with that, Halloween every year he comes in with this crazy Mexican sombrero and sticker mustache and one of those Mexican capes. And he just rolls around in the office in costume all day.
Liz Farmer
