Our History
In 1902, at 18 years young, John P. Coakley put together a construction crew specializing in home and barn building, serving all of St. Lawrence County. John P. established a reputation for delivering superior customer service through quality workmanship, meeting aggressive production schedules (the crew would often live on-site in pitched tents) and, above all, being a man of the highest integrity. People liked and trusted the young entrepreneur, which opened the door to more business opportunities.
Over the years, the family business, built on the strong base established by John P., grew. Evolutionary twists and turns bridging John P.’s startup construction company to our business at Coakley Home and Hardware today included logging, sawmills, window and sash manufacturing, a feed store, a paint store, a lumber business and a housing construction business, resulting in many of the fine homes you see in the Canton community today.
Generational transitions took place between John P. and his sons, Robert and John, on their return from serving in World War II. The business focus consolidated them on lumber and home construction. In 1976, Robert and his son, Bill, orchestrated the major transition from that business located “on the island” in downtown Canton to a home and hardware center at our present location on Outer West Main Street in Canton. Our Saranac Lake store opened in 2005 on Lake Flower Avenue, and has been voted “The Best of the Mountains” hardware store each year since opening.
All of Robert’s children (the third Coakley generation), Bill, Carol (Spadaccini) and Tom, along with their spouses, Carol, Ron (Spadaccini) and Nellie, are active in the store operations. Most of the fourth-generation Coakleys, while active in their career endeavors, have put in their share of hours behind the cash register, cooking hotdogs or stocking shelves. The members of the fifth generation are currently very involved in consuming the free popcorn, entertaining customers and playing hide-and-seek. We are sure John P. would be proud of his family business legacy!
We Can’t Wait to Work With You!
Whether you’re designing your dream bath or need help picking the perfect color of paint, our team would be proud to serve you in Canton or Saranac Lake. Stop in and see us at our home and hardware center or contact us today to learn more about what we offer!
