Simmons Hardware Company
| File:Simmons Company Hardware 1880.JPG brochure from 1880 | |
| Industry | Hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1874 |
| Founder | Edward C. Simmons |
| Headquarters | St Louis , United States |
Number of locations | Six |
| Products | hammers, hinges |
The Simmons Hardware Company operated as a hardware manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri, with business activities spanning six states.
Staff
Established in 1874 by Edward C. Simmons, who stepped down in 1898, the firm quickly built a significant foothold within the hardware sector.
George Welch Simmons, son of the founder, started working at the company in 1901 as a truck driver earning $20 per week. By 1904, he had risen to the position of general manager and later became vice-president responsible for all warehouse operations, demonstrating effective leadership that supported the company's expansion.
L. E. Crandall, originally affiliated with Churchill Hardware Company, joined forces with Simmons and earned a reputation as one of Illinois' leading salesmen. He advanced to sales manager at the St. Louis warehouse and ultimately served as General Sales Manager for all branches, operating from New Haven, Connecticut.
History
The company’s inventory was broad, including items such as ammunition, knives, mincers, wires, and dog collars. Products were classified as "hardware" if they were neither consumable nor liquid. Sales personnel specialized either in the full product suite or focused on select categories.
Simmons Hardware produced the Keen Kutter brand of tools, now sought after by collectors, with over 800 different items recorded. The company’s capital largely consisted of subsidiary holdings whose net values appreciated over time. Following the acquisition of Baker Hardware Company, Simmons established a warehouse in Sioux City to ensure consistent product quality within that region.
The corporation was involved in a legal dispute titled Simmons Hardware Co. v. City of St. Louis, contesting certain merchant license taxes paid during 1908 and 1909 related to sales, ad valorem, and value-added taxes.
Its distribution network grew to include warehouses across Missouri, New York, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Kansas.
Merger with Winchester
Simmons pursued an assertive growth approach by acquiring suppliers to secure advanced machinery for internal use while marketing excess capacity externally. The nationally promoted Keen Kutter brand featured the "KK" logo across various product lines.
In 1902, Simmons purchased Walden Knife Company located in New York. This move became pivotal when Winchester Repeating Arms Company aimed to enter the knife market. The two companies merged, transferring Walden's equipment to Connecticut. Both brands flourished through the 1920s until their separation in 1929 when Simmons refocused on its primary operations. That same year, Simmons sold the Keen Kutter Building in Wichita to Alfred Jonathon Harwi's hardware business based in Atchison, Kansas.
See also
Further reading
- Elaine and Jerry Heuring. Concise History of The Simmons Hardware Company. The Hardware Companies Kollectors Klub, 1910
External links
- Simmons Hardware Co. Inc. Trade Catalogs, National Museum of American History