07/16/2022
Jaymar-Ruby was founded in Chicago in 1915, and moved to Michigan City, Indiana (my home for several years) in 1922. In 1957, the Jaymar-Ruby company launched the SansABelt pants, which were rather revolutionary at the time in that they didn't require a belt to stay up well. In 1967, the company became a subsidiary of the Hart Schaffner Marx Company out of Chicago, known for high quality men's dress wear. The company's founder, Jack Ruby is remembered fondly in the area as one of few employers who was able to keep *every* employee on the payroll throughout the Great Depression. Jack Ruby passed away in 1985, but the company was passed to his son Burton (Bud) Ruby, the inventor of the SansABelt Slacks, in 1957. The pants gained notoriety for their ads on the late-night Johnny Carson show and were said to be a favorite of Mr. Carson himself.
Jaymar-Ruby closed in 2009, and Bud Ruby passed away in 2014, but much like his father, his legacy lives on in local lore as an innovative and philanthropic man who sent his employees Christmas and anniversary cards.