Woodstock Hardware Two sons grow up in the family hardware business.

The Christofora family laughing together at the front counter of their Woodstock Hardware business.

It’s fun. It’s family. It’s work.

AND TWO SONS ARE GROWING UP IN THE FAMILY HARDWARE BUSINESS. By Tim Burke

Vince Christofora owns Woodstock Hardware, a Do it Best dealer in Woodstock, N.Y. He and his wife Diane have operated the hardware store for 30 years. Now, their sons work the business with them.

“I think a big part of why the boys have had success in the store, is that regardless of their age we have trained and treated them as if they were regular help. Indifferent of their age,” said the owner.

Anthony, age 13, and Vincent, age 15, stay busy with schoolwork, clubs, and sports. Mainly they work Sundays. During the summer they work more.

“Thirteen and fifteen may seem young but they have been working here since they were four years old,” said Christofora.

They started dusting and fronting shelves. Then they progressed, “and learned about zero on hand and how to check quantities on hand in our Eagle point of sale system,” he said. They mastered the inventory side of things.

When they were strong enough, said the owner, they learned how to sweep, and fill and empty the mop bucket so they could mop the floor.

“At age 10, our younger son Anthony was assigned to the front of the store and assumed the traditional check out rolls and the older helped manage the inventory and learned how to help customers out on the floor,” said Christofora.

When the family computerized the paint department, the older son Vincent learned how to operate and maintain the computerized tint system and – with a bit of help on selecting the right product line – now mixes paint.

Meanwhile, Diane works behind the scenes and does whatever it takes for the family to be successful. “She is the glue that holds it all together,” said Christofora. “Plus, our gourmet kitchen shop is named after her – Diane’s Kitchen.”

When Covid hit and staffing became an issue, said the owner, he turned to his boys. “The only way we were going to be able to stay open seven days a week, on Sunday, was for them to work the day with me. And they sure stepped up.”

Anthony mastered running two point of sale stations, while his older brother Vincent exceled at running the floor and making paint. And they have been doing that every Sunday for the past two years.

When asked if there has there been any push back from customers when it comes to being helped by such a young staff, the father answered that there was a bit. But not for long.

“After a customer is taken right to what they need, or their change is counted back to them ‘old school,’ they warm up to the boys quickly,” said Christofora.

So much so that if they happen to need time off on Sunday, said the owner, the customers are asking: Where are the boys?

“I do jump in to help the ‘non-believers’ but politely offer that if it were not for the boys we would not be open today and we would not be having this conversation,” said Christofora.

The owner said his sons have sat through and participated in Do it Best’s plumbing and electrical courses and have successfully completed building projects.

“One unexpected advantage of having the boys in the business is that we have a pipeline for finding those few and far between eager teenagers that want a job. So, I guess the boys also serve as staff recruiters,” he said.

The owner provided advice on how to survive in a family hardware business.

“Our challenge is how to keep the work fun and interesting, and not have the work become punishment, so that our sons do not develop a sour taste for our family business,” said Christofora.

They focus on two facets, he said, “first, make sure the boys are compensated equally to the hired help. Second, make sure we are not asking them to shoulder the failure of others just because they are family.”

Things change quickly, he said.

“Ideas and technologies that have yet to be thought of could be a large part of our business in two, three, or five years,” he said. “But who better to have around but young, confident minds.”

The boys, Anthony on left, and older brother Vincent, have grown up in the hardware business; and show the poise and confidence to be future leaders.

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