THE HISTORY OF KELLOGGS & LAWRENCE BEGINS IN 1887*
Henry W. Kellogg purchased the hardware business belonging to C.W. Avery in 1887. Henry operated the business as H.W. Kellogg until 1895 when he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Lewis Elliott, who had an established lumber and coal business. The business then became known as Kellogg & Elliott.
As the nineteenth century drew to a close the entire village of Katonah prepared to move to a new site. New York City was damming the Muscoot River on whose banks Katonah was settled. Henry purchased the land on which the present Store stands in the late 1880’s, the building was built in 1900.
The 1900s
Business commenced in the new building by 1902, once again under the name of H.W. Kellogg: the partnership to the Coal and Lumber Business had ended. Henry and his family lived in the spacious second floor apartment.
The first US Post Office in the new village occupied the northwest corner of the building alongside the Hardware Store. Henry Kellogg was Katonah’s Postmaster for about 10 years. The basement, and later the barns and sheds, housed the burgeoning plumbing, heating and sheet metal shops. The original barn housed the horses and wagons used by the mechanics. There was also storage for non-perishable merchandise.
When Henry bought his business he inherited two mechanics, Thomas Smith, a Tinnier, who was great at repairing milk cans; and James Mayne, a Plumber and Civil War Veteran. As it happens, James Mayne was father to Harry Mayne, who purchased the lumber, coal and feed business from Henry Kellogg’s brother in law and former partner, Lewis Elliott As the business grew Henry hunted far and wide for additional help.
He Hired William G. Arnold, from Pottsdam NY, who worked as Henry’s assistant in the Post Office. For the Plumb Shop he hired Walter Chace of Walden, NY and Fred Hickok of Bethel, CT, a Plumber and Steam Fitter. Charles Mead, previously of Fowler & Seller in White Plains, hired on in the Retail Store.
In 1903 Henry formed a partnership with Mead and the business was renamed Kellogg & Mead. The partnership continued until Mead died in 1918.
Henry’s oldest son Elliott attended the Katonah School System through 10th. Grade, the highest grade offered at that time, graduating from White Plains High in 1905. Following studies at Eastmans School of Business and The New York Trade School he joined his father in 1907, taking over the Plumbing & Heating and Sheet Metal departments.
Between the Wars
Following World War I the business was incorporated under the name Kelloggs & Lawrence, Inc.. C. Fayette Lawrence of South Salem became a stockholder and assumed the duties of Store Manager.
Donald Kellogg, Elliott’s son, came to work for the firm in 1935 as a full time Plumber’s Apprentice. In 1938 Elliott appointed Don foreman of the mechanical area of the business. Donald served in the armed forces during WWII.
Sadly Kelloggs & Lawrence lost two employees during the war: Merritt Brundage and Charles Ferguson. John Miller, head of the Electrical Department, also lost his son Jack in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Donald returned from the war together with his brother Richard and Fayette Lawrence’s son, James, both of whom joined the business.
Several years later tragedy struck again: James Lawrence was killed accidentally while directing the Katonah Fire Department at a local brush fire. In honor of his memory the store name has remained Kelloggs & Lawrence ever since.
When Fayette retired Donald M. Foulke, then an employee of the store, became manager of the hardware store. Don was a Navy veteran of both WWII and the Korean Conflict, Don continued managing the store for many years until founding Meseroles Locksmiths of Katonah, from which he subsequently retired.
1950–2000
In the 1970s, two more Kelloggs joined the business: Don’s sons Donald Jr. and Jeffrey. Both men grew up in the business. Don Jr. attended the University of Georgia and then served in with the US Air Force in Vietnam before joining full time in 1971 in the Plumbing Department. Jeff, who began working part-time in the store in his early teens took time to study at Pace University and was employed for a time by a Young and Halstead, formerly a Hardware Store in Mount Kisco. Jeff joined full-time in 1975.
Donald Kellogg [Senior] retired around 1980. Brother Dick retired a few years later. Don [Jr.] ran the Plumbing division until it closed down in 1994. Jeffrey Kellogg rose to head up the Hardware Store where he continued as General Manager until retiring in 2020 after more than 50 years with the business.
In 1996 Bart and Diana Tyler joined the Kelloggs & Lawrence legacy. No name change, No fanfare, just a continued strong commitment to traditional hardlines and great customer service. During their tenure Bart and Diana brought the store from a 1980s hardware and plumbing store to what we know it as today, remodeling the basement, once just for storage, into another floor for retail sales. This allowed the addition of things like outdoor equipment, camping gear, Fireplace doors and most of all, clothing. Their contributions to the store and the community will be around for many years to come.
Kelloggs & Lawrence Today
In late 2020 (the year of Covid 19, with curbside pickups and limited capacity shopping like we have never seen before) after 24 years with Kelloggs & Lawrence, Bart and Diana decided to start their own retirement and sold the business to Jon and Jamie Steckler, again no big too do or name change—just business as usual, all the while the store continues to grow and prosper. And the Kelloggs & Lawrence story continues …
*P.S.: Do Kelloggs & Lawrence’s roots extend back to 1838 or earlier? The business itself may date back to at least forty years earlier than Henry’s 1887 purchase. We know, for instance, that C.W. Avery was married to Anna Whitlock, a sister of Arron Burr Whitlock, who ran a General Store in Whitlockville, in partnership with a man named Squire Wood. The business was then known as Wood & Whitlock. Prior to this partnership, Squire Wood was known to have operated a business known as the Cherry Street Store as far back as 1838.
THE HEART OF KATONAH
Located at 26 Parkway, Katonah, New York.
Kelloggs & Lawrence has been a staple of the community for over 135 years.
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Call us at (914) 232-3351
Hours:
Monday–Saturday: 8:30 am-5:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am-5:00 pm