Bob’s Rocky Mountain Sewing Supply (formerly Bob’s Sew & Vac Center) was originally located on the 500 blocks of South Higgins in Missoula in 1955.

The Hob Nob Cafe now occupies this spot. The store moved several times along South Higgins Avenue, including the Senior Center Building, eventually landing in the old S&H Green Stamps location at 616 South Higgins.

In 1979, I bought the store from Arlo Campbell, which at the time was named Viking Sew & Vac Center, and I continued at that location for ten years. Our company had been at the West Broadway location since 1990, and in 2024, finally closed its doors.

I am a second-generation sewing machine man from Minneapolis. I started in High School at McMaster Fahlstrom Associates, the original US Importers of Husqvarna Viking Sewing Machines, and later at the newly named Viking Sewing Machine Company in Golden Valley, Minnesota, in product distribution.

My Father, Henry Snodgrass, started in sales with McMaster Fahlstrom around 1959 and was instrumental in developing a new Viking dealer network west of the Mississippi, including the Missoula Dealership. He later became the National Service Manager of the Viking Sewing Machine Company.

The first sewing machine I learned to sew on was a 1959 Husqvarna 2000 Colormatic. After Viking in Minneapolis, I worked for a sewing machine retailer in Portland, Oregon, and then moved to Spokane, Washington, as part-owner of a sewing machine retail store for two years. I then moved back to Portland as a wholesale representative for Sewing Center Supply Company until April 1979. Sewing Center Supply Company represented NewHome (Janome), Baby Lock, Necchi, and most industrial machines and parts. Later, the company became SCS USA with the Koala, Madiera, and Hemline Products.

I have a long history of sales and factory-trained service with ArtisanSew, Baby Lock, Brother, Consew, Elna, Husqvarna, Janome, Juki, Necchi, NewHome, PFAFF, Riccar, Singer, Viking, White, and many other industrial makes. Over the years, I have seen many changes in the sewing machine industry and know which companies make great products along with good management practices.