9/11

This is the view from my desk. It has changed forever in reality and in my heart.

The change happened on this day 16 years ago. We were just moving into the space where the factory is now located on the Brooklyn waterfront. We noticed smoke coming from one of the World Trade Center towers. There were radio reports of a plane accident. We assumed it was a small private plane.

Then as we stood there and watched, we witnessed a second, very big black plane fly into the second tower. We knew it was no accident.

We watched in horror. We were directly downwind from the towers and ash soon was falling in the street. Then burnt papers; then full sheets of paper.

I was the butler to a small black dog in those days. The two of us walked the three blocks to our loft to watch TV news. In that short time, Slim had become an ash grey dog.

When the towers fell, it was hard to accept our eyes – just impossible to believe.

Ohm’s phone lines went through the World Trade Center. Now we could only call Brooklyn. It was like going back to pre-telephone days. Our incoming business nearly stopped altogether for well over a month. We had just moved from our factory in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn. We had our renovation money to live on until we could start talking to customers again.

In this photograph, the Twin Towers would have been just on the left edge of the frame. For the longest time after the event, there was only sky where they had once stood.

Now the Freedom Tower is centered in my view.

I am proud of New York for rebuilding after this disaster.

I am proud of Ohm for continuing to build speakers in the USA.

‘Til next time!

John

John Strohbeen Author

John Strohbeen was the President and Chief Engineer of Ohm Acoustics from 1978-2023.