Today, May 15th, is the 100th anniversary of Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company, the predecessor of our own Modern Hardware. It was on this day in 1924 that Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company was founded by the Boersma family. The primary business revolved around coal, which was the lifeblood of homes and industries alike. Coal shipments arrived by rail, traveling on a spur that crossed Kalamazoo Ave through Fuller Ave in Grand Rapids.
In the 1970’s, Tunis and Ethel Vander Lugt, who had been working at Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company, began to have more and more influence on operations. They purchased the company, and renamed it Modern Hardware, Inc. Ethel began to develop a decorative hardware department, adding displays and lines that eventually accounted for more than 50 percent of sales. She was a pioneer in a male-dominated industry, and paved the way for many women leaders at Modern. Ethel and Tunis’ children, Bob and Elaine, started working there as teenagers and later joined the business full-time.
In 1999, Bob, his wife Vicki, Elaine, and her husband Rick, purchased Modern Hardware from their parents to become second generation owners. In 2001, the store underwent a major renovation and store redesign to become what the store is today.
As we celebrate this remarkable centennial, we invite you to join us in honoring the past and embracing the future. Our anniversary is not just about looking back; it's about appreciating the present and eagerly anticipating the next 100 years.
We owe our enduring success to the unwavering support of our community. It’s your trust and loyalty that have propelled us forward, and we are deeply grateful. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to serving you with the same dedication and passion that the Boersma family instilled a century ago.
Thank you for being part of our story. Here’s to 100 years of history, and to many more years of serving West Michigan with pride and gratitude.
Stay tuned for more updates and join us in-store to celebrate this historic occasion!
Join our mailing list to stay up to date with the latest news from our team. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more regular updates.
Today, May 15th, is the 100th anniversary of Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company, the predecessor of our own Modern Hardware. It was on this day in 1924 that Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company was founded by the Boersma family. The primary business revolved around coal, which was the lifeblood of homes and industries alike. Coal shipments arrived by rail, traveling on a spur that crossed Kalamazoo Ave through Fuller Ave in Grand Rapids.
In the 1970’s, Tunis and Ethel Vander Lugt, who had been working at Oakdale Fuel & Materials Company, began to have more and more influence on operations. They purchased the company, and renamed it Modern Hardware, Inc. Ethel began to develop a decorative hardware department, adding displays and lines that eventually accounted for more than 50 percent of sales. She was a pioneer in a male-dominated industry, and paved the way for many women leaders at Modern. Ethel and Tunis’ children, Bob and Elaine, started working there as teenagers and later joined the business full-time.
In 1999, Bob, his wife Vicki, Elaine, and her husband Rick, purchased Modern Hardware from their parents to become second generation owners. In 2001, the store underwent a major renovation and store redesign to become what the store is today.
As we celebrate this remarkable centennial, we invite you to join us in honoring the past and embracing the future. Our anniversary is not just about looking back; it's about appreciating the present and eagerly anticipating the next 100 years.
We owe our enduring success to the unwavering support of our community. It’s your trust and loyalty that have propelled us forward, and we are deeply grateful. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to serving you with the same dedication and passion that the Boersma family instilled a century ago.
Thank you for being part of our story. Here’s to 100 years of history, and to many more years of serving West Michigan with pride and gratitude.
Stay tuned for more updates and join us in-store to celebrate this historic occasion!
Join our mailing list to stay up to date with the latest news from our team. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more regular updates.