THE ARKANSAS SEAT COVER STORY
HOW IT ALL BEGAN …
In the early 1960s, a former Air Force sergeant named James Patton Pate began looking for a business opportunity that would support his growing family. He found Arkansas Seat Cover, which had been operating at the same Fort Smith, Arkansas location for the previous decade.
He bought the company in 1964, determined to bring the best in quality, affordable upholstery to the community. Turns out he had a knack for the work, and the business thrived. And it soon became a family affair, with his British-born wife, Patricia, often working alongside.
Thanks to the family’s skill, combined with their work ethic and integrity, the company was soon a local institution.
KEEPING UP THE GOOD WORK …
In time, a right-hand man came to James — his son-in-law Ricardo Velez, who had married James’ eldest daughter, Kim, in 1980.
Ricardo, a Puerto Rico native and a former U.S. Army soldier as well as a 20-year National Guardsman, officially joined the family business in 1981. When James retired in 1988, Ricardo and Kim took over the business.
For almost three decades, Kim sewed while Ricardo installed the custom covers, and the family legacy continued.
THE THIRD GENERATION …
Kim and Ricardo’s son, Michael, started helping out at Arkansas Seat Cover before he was out of elementary school. By 2009, he was working at the shop full-time. In 2018, with help from his wife, Kathryn, he took the reins as owner and operator while Mom and Dad began a well-deserved retirement.
Michael has discovered he loves expressing his artistic talents with a needle as he proudly continues the family business begun by his grandfather.
Whether you are restoring a classic car, sprucing up the interior of your boat, or looking for a unique motorcycle seat cover, Michael can draw on knowledge accumulated across three generations and help you imagine the possibilities and bring them to life.
