Famous Supply
Famous Supply is a family-owned wholesale distributor of HVAC, Plumbing, Industrial/PVF, and Building Products primarily to contractors in the commercial, residential, industrial and institutional markets. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company distributes products made by the industry's leading manufacturers of Air Distribution and Ventilation Equipment, Building Facilities and Energy Management Systems, Building Products, Controls, Industrial Products, HVAC Equipment and Supplies, Kitchen and Bath Products, Pipe, Valves and Fittings, and Plumbing Products. Famous Supply also provides training, technical support, and product application recommendations and solutions to its customers. It is part of the parent company Famous Enterprises.
History
Famous Supply was founded in 1933 by Hyman Blaushild. Originally named Famous Furnace, the company changed it's name to Famous Supply in 1968. Famous Furnace was first headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, however, the company moved headquarters to Akron, Ohio in 1970.
Core Businesses
Famous University has five core businesses: HVAC, Plumbing, Industrial/PVF, Building Products, and Training. Famous Supply now offers a customer training program through its sub-division Famous University. Famous University provides professional education programs to thousands of professional contractors serving the HVAC, Plumbing, Industrial/PVF and Building Products Industry. Developed in 2006 by Director of Marketing, Tom Krejci, highly trained instructors have created a program that provides industry professionals with courses, hands-on-workshops, seminars, training, education and technology to better serve their customers and raise the standards in their industries.
Locations
The Castle
The Castle, as it is referred to by many of Famous's customers, is the current headquarters of Famous Enterprises. Built sometime during the 1890's, the facility used to belong to the world's largest printing company. Purchased in 1970 by current owner Jay Blaushild in an effort to centralize Famous's location within the Tri-State area, the Castle has developed into a celebrated Akron landmark. The Castle sits on the corner of Union and Perkins Street just outside of downtown Akron. The signature room of The Castle is the first floor open lobby which contains a 19th century mosaic with the enscription, "Knowlede Is Power."
Branches
Today, Famous Supply has 18 branches located throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Name |
Address |
Name |
Address |
|---|---|---|---|
Cleveland West |
11200 Madison Ave., Cleveland, OH, 44102 |
Lorain |
125 E. 20th St., Lorain, OH, 44052 |
Steubenville |
934 W. Adams St., Steubenville, OH, 43952 |
Akron |
166 N. Union St., Akron, OH, 44304 |
Warren |
2436 Niles Road, SE, Warren, OH, 44484 |
Wheeling |
2300 Market St., Wheeling, WV, 26003 |
Mansfield |
83 Smith Avenue, Mansfield, OH, 44905 |
Uniontown |
85 Pittsburgh St., Uniontown, PA, 15401 |
Newark |
25 S. 11th St., Newark, OH, 43055 |
Sandusky |
1341 Olds St., Sandusky, OH, 44870 |
Fremont |
641 S. Front St., Fremont, OH, 43420 |
Canton |
1215 McKinley Ave. SW, Canton, OH, 44707 |
Astabula |
4625 Foster Ave., Ashtabula, OH, 44004 |
Toledo |
220 Matzinger Rd., Toledo, OH, 43612 |
Washington |
1110 W. Chesnut St., Washington, PA, 15301 |
Byesville |
354 W. Main St., Byesville, OH, 43723 |
Columbus |
1356 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH, 43211 |
Cleveland East |
6420 Woodland Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44102 |
Showrooms
Famous Supply currently has 13 Kitchen and Bath Showrooms.
Name |
Address |
Name |
Address |
|---|---|---|---|
Akron |
163 N. Union St., Akron, OH, 44304 |
Byesville |
354 West Main ,Byesville, OH, 43723 |
Canton |
1120 High Ave., Canton, OH, 44707 |
Freemont |
641 S. Front St, Freemont, OH, 43420 |
Lorain |
125 E. 20th St., Lorain, OH, 44052 |
Newark |
25 S. 11th St., Newark, OH, 43055 |
Steubenville |
934 W. Adams St., Steubenville, OH, 43952 |
Toledo |
220 Matzinger Rd., Toledo, OH, 43612 |
Uniontown |
85 Pittsburgh St., Uniontown, PA, 15401 |
Warren |
2436 Niles Road S.E., Warren, OH, 44484 |
Washington |
1110 West Chestnut St., Washington, PA, 15301 |
Wheeling |
2300 Market St., Wheeling, WV, 26003 |
Pittsburgh |
419 Melwood Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 |
Central Distribution Center
The Central Distribution Center(CDC) was purchased by Famous Supply on March 7, 2005 and went into operation shortly after. At around 350,000 square feet, the CDC contains over 30,000 different products. It takes around 70 employees to run the CDC. There are 28 loading docks that receive shipments three times per day. It is ran by Director of Distribution, Tanja Kozul.
Expo
The Tri-State Expo is a two day Exposition put on by Famous Supply. Famous Supply brings in over 500 Manufacturers and guest celbrities for their customers. Famous Supply has put on this show annually since it was first held in 1984. Since the show began, it has always been held at the Cleveland I-X Center in early to mid September.
Markets
Famous Supply currently supplies customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Product Lines
Famous Supply currently stocks approximately 70,000 different Stock Keeping Units(SKU's) in its inventory from approximately 750 different product manufacturers, such as Alcoa, Aristokraft, Armstrong, Bradford White, Decora, Delta, Frigidaire, Honeywell, Jacuzzi, Kohler, Lasco Bathware, Moen, Oatey, Owens Corning, Research Products, Renzor, Simonton, Sloan, and Zurn. Also available from the Company's vendors are over 300,000 additional items in Famous' database.
Philanthropy
Famous Supply has established philanthropic endeavors both nationally and locally. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Famous Supply has sent children to locations such as Disney World., as well as arranged meetings with such celebrities as Faith Hill. Locally, the company has been a sponsor of the “Heat the Town” program in Akron, Ohio that works to check and repair furnaces in the inner city. The company promotes services by encouraging its associates to take paid time off for volunteer work.
Further reading
Steve Smith, November,1990 Big But Not Too Big Show, Supply House Times