Change can be hard, and it certainly was for Belwith Hardware, one of the oldest and best respected hardware lines in the business. When we first started selling hardware online, Belwith was one of our strongest brands, and today the company is again back to being one of our top lines. Yet, there were a few years in between when we thought we might have to drop Belwith all together.

The company was first formed all the way back in 1893, and built itself an admirable reputation for quality and craftsmanship. Like close competitors Amerock and Liberty Hardware, Belwith was acquired by a large corporation with a diversified portfolio. But unlike Amerock and Liberty, Belwith's acquisition did not go well. The new corporate parent decided to change the name from Belwith Hardware to Hickory Hardware, a move that was met with surprise within the industry considering that the name Belwith had over 100 years of history behind it.

Next came the transition to a new warehouse, a move that was supposed to be pulled off in a few weeks, but which led to massive distribution challenges for over a year.

In the end, the management team stepped in to rescue the struggling brand, acquiring it from it's corporate owners and moving it back to its former location. They decided to keep both company names alive, naming their new company Belwith Products and making Hickory Hardware a Belwith brand. Even under the new ownership it took some time to right the ship, but right it they did, and today Belwith has reclimbed to the top of its industry.