HOW A FAMILY HARDWARE ST ORE-TU RNED-SHOWROOM HAS BEEN REMAKING ISLAND home s FOR 35 YEARS
by BRENDAN FITZGIBBONS • Photos by Alex Barreto
When Hylan Supply co-owner Francesca Saccheri was asked to describe her business, she casually and smilingly mentioned that it was one of the “first Home Depots.” In fact, it opened in 1980, just a year after the first Home Depot opened its doors in Atlanta, but unlike the recognizable monster chain, Hylan grew incrementally and organically in the 35 years that followed. And while it may not have the same glitz of the ubiquitous big box, it has made an undeniable impact on the
Island community.
The company began as Hylan Hardware but slowly evolved into the larger entity of Hylan Supply. In addition to carrying standard everyday hardware, the business also offers plumbing tools, parts, and maintenance. Most recently, the East Shore business built a 2,800-foot kitchen and bath showroom that includes “everything you need for renovations, remodelings, and construction,” Saccheri said.
Hylan Supply offers a thorough consultation process, where a customer can come in and look at everything in the showroom to dream up an ideal kitchen and bathroom. “We take you by the hand and make what can be a very hard process, extremely easy,” she added.
The timeframe for a consultation varies based on the size of the project, but the co-owner insists that customers offer as much early detail as possible. (“Since it’s something that you’re going to look at every day, you should absolutely take your time planning because you don’t want to make a mistake,” she said.)
During the consultation, the customer will go over everything with a showroom expert, from wood samples to types of tiling. “If your bathroom was an outfit, the tile floor would be the dress, and the faucet the earrings,” Saccheri said. “So we’ll definitely help you accessorize to give your bathroom the complete look. I’m not going to sell you something that you’re not going to use, either, so I get very personal with clients. If you shower on a daily basis, for example—as opposed to a bath— then we’ll go with something elaborate like aroma therapy or specialized notches in the walls that hold your shampoo, but if you’re a bath person, then the world is truly your oyster, and we would build anything from a clawfoot tub to whirlpool jets.”
Saccheri chuckled about the technological advances in toilets.
“We have models that do anything and everything, even no-touch toilets. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day they’ll be able to read you the Daily News,” she said.
For kitchen renovations and construction, Saccheri mentioned pot filler faucets, farmhouse sinks, and a piece of statement furniture with a pop of color as some of the major modern design trends.
The team at Hylan will also make house calls; the staff recently spearheaded a project to work on seven bathrooms in one residence.
Saccheri points to her shop’s commitment to accept any job as one of the reasons for its lasting power. “We don’t get intimidated and enjoy challenges, so we’ll work on everything from the powder room to the grand master suite,” she said.
Above all, the storied supply store is a family oriented business, as Saccheri and husband Carlo’s three children, Jennifer, Salvatore, and Stephanie, all work for the company.
Hylan’s clients visit the shop locally from Staten Island as well as from Brooklyn, Manhattan, and New Jersey. “Our biggest endorsement is word of mouth, and we have many repeat customers,” Saccheri said.
According to the jovial Staten Island resident, the staff at Hylan remains committed to a job indefinitely.
“We’ll stand by our product all the way through,” she said. “I’ve had customers call me about a job we finished ten years ago, and we’ll still send our people over to help. A while back we did a client’s bathroom, then her we did her daughter’s bathroom, and recently her daughter just came in, and we’re going to work on hers as well.”
Another tenet of Hylan’s dedication is its willingness to work within a client’s budget. “We’re never here to intimidate anyone or scare anyone with prices. So, the first thing we always ask is what are you looking to spend? And we pride ourselves of working within that range, though I do love when customers say there is no budget,” she said with a chuckle.
Hylan Supply
2247 Hylan Boulevard / 718.987.4249 / hylanplumbingsupply.com