 Prior to founding Virco, Julian Virtue had cofounded Virtue Chrome Plating (later known as Virtue Brothers Manufacturing Company) with his brother Philip Virtue in August 1926.This company was quite successful, initially providing custom nickel and chrome plating for furniture manufacturers.By the mid-1930s, the company began to directly manufacture its own furniture from its factory on West Century Boulevard, producing dinette sets for restaurants and consumer homes, chrome-plated chairs for offices, and beauty-parlor equipment.