History Built on Quality

Beacon Paint & Hardware was founded around 1900. The store started as Beacon Paint & Varnish Co., later changed to Beacon Paint & Wallpaper, and later to its current name.

The store originally was located on the West side of Amsterdam Avenue, approximately where Rooster Flowers is now. Around 1940, Beacon relocated to its present location – 371 Amsterdam Ave.

Before becoming Beacon Paint, 371 Amsterdam Ave. was the home of an A&P supermarket. The rear of the store is where the supermarket kept the horse and buggy it used to make deliveries.

In 1971, Mel Stark (who previously worked at now-defunct Martin Paints) bought the store from then-owner Joe Sage. Mel had also worked at his father-in-law’s paint store on the East Side many, many years ago. Mel’s sons, Bruce and Steven, now run day-to-day operations and Mel (now 78) still comes in a couple days a week (He plans to retire April 1, a couple days after turning 79). Beacon’s presence on Amsterdam Avenue has been steadfast, even as the neighborhood around it changed dramatically. Beacon’s previous neighbors included a New York City Sanitation Department office, an antiques store and even Beacon’s own art supply annex.

Beacon has always been a more than just another hardware store. Always supportive of our neighbors and the community, we are proud to make customer service our No. 1 priority. We delight in giving out balloons to children and dog biscuits to our canine friends.

Many people wonder how Beacon got its name. That has always been something of a mystery, although it’s reasonable to assume that the store took its name from the neighborhood. In addition to the Beacon Theatre and the Hotel Beacon (one of which took its name from the other), there’s also a liquor store bearing the Beacon name. There also used to be a Beacon Lanes bowling alley (where Amsterdam Billiards is now located). The theory is that Beacon was simply a neighborhood name (like Yorkville or Morningside Heights) that never really stuck. Today, it’s part of the vast area known as the Upper West Side.

BEACON IN THE COMMUNITY

THE AMSTERDAM AVENUE FESTIVAL
Every May, the West Side Chamber of Commerce holds the Amsterdam Avenue Festival and Beacon is there. Stop by the next time the festival takes place.

TRADE SHOW PARTICIPATION
The annual Buildings NY trade show in June at the Javits Convention Center attracts the decision-makers in the buildings industry and Beacon is there, too. If you’re such a decision maker, we invite you to stop by our booth at the next show.