Simmons Hardware Company facts for kids
brochure from 1880
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|
| Industry | Hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1874 |
| Founder | Edward C. Simmons |
| Headquarters |
St Louis
,
United States
|
|
Number of locations
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Six |
| Products | hammers, hinges |
The Simmons Hardware Company was a big company that made and sold all kinds of hardware items. They started in St. Louis and grew to have stores and warehouses in six different states.
Contents
Meet the People Behind the Company
The person who started the Simmons Hardware Company was Edward C. Simmons. He began the company in 1874. Edward Simmons worked hard and then retired in 1898.
Edward's son, George Welch Simmons, also worked for the company. He started in 1901, earning $20 a week. His first job was driving trucks to the St. Louis warehouse. By 1904, George became the general manager. Later, he became the vice-president for all the company's warehouses. He was even called a "Distinguished Successful American" in 1912!
Another important person was L. E. Crandall. He first worked for a different company called Churchill Hardware. When Churchill Hardware joined with Simmons, Crandall became a famous salesman. He traveled all over Illinois, selling products. Because he was so good, he became a sales manager in St. Louis. Later, he became the General Sales Manager for all Simmons locations. His office was in New Haven, Connecticut.
Company History and Products
The Simmons Hardware Company sold many different things. Their products included ammunition, knives, mincers (for grinding food), wires, and even dog collars! They had a funny way to describe their products: "If you can't eat it, and it don't pour or fold, it's hardware."
The company made very popular tools under the brand name Keen Kutter. These tools are now special items that people like to collect. One book, Keen Kutter Planes, lists over 800 different tools from this brand!
Simmons Hardware Company often bought other companies. This helped them grow bigger and stronger. For example, they bought the Baker Hardware Company in Sioux City. After this, they opened a new warehouse in Sioux City. They wanted to make sure the quality of their products was the same everywhere.
The company grew from its home in Missouri to five other states. You could find Simmons Hardware locations in New York, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kansas.
Simmons and the Law
The Simmons Hardware Company was once involved in a court case. They believed they had paid too much tax for their business licenses in 1908 and 1909. They went to court to try and get some of their money back. The case was heard by the highest court in Missouri.
Joining Forces with Winchester
The Simmons Company had a smart business plan. They would buy the companies that supplied them with materials. This way, they could get the best machines and make sure their own needs came first. If they had extra products, they would sell them.
Their Keen Kutter brand was advertised all over the country. The letters "KK" were even used for some of their other brands. In 1902, they bought the Walden Knife company. This was interesting to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Winchester, famous for its guns, wanted to start making knives too.
So, the Simmons Hardware Company and Winchester joined together! The knife-making machines from Walden were moved to Winchester's main base in Connecticut. The Winchester and Keen Kutter brands did very well in the 1920s. But in 1929, they decided to split up. Simmons went back to focusing on its main hardware business. In October of that same year, they sold their Keen Kutter Building in Wichita. It was bought by Alfred Jonathon Harwi, who also had a hardware company.
Images for kids
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Simmonds Hardware Company order for goods, 1897
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