| History |
| Wharton Hardware was opened in 1945 by Victor Magistrelli, an energetic Italian immigrant who had been a blacksmith, demolition contractor, and barge operator by trade. He used the name of the South Philadelphia Street on which he lived, Wharton Street, for his new business. For Wharton's original warehouse, Magistrelli converted a 19th century one-room schoolhouse on Rt.130 in Pennsauken, NJ. Magistrelli was very experienced in the area of marine construction and tugboat operation, and had hauled trash out to sea for the city of Philadelphia. There was a very active trade in World War II surplus goods in the years immediately following the war, and Magistrelli's business dealings at this time included the sale of a surplus German U-boat diesel engine. Wharton started renting contractors' equipment in the 1950's. By the 1960's the company was being managed by Aldo Magistrelli, Victor's son. In the 1970's the company became more involved in the concrete accessories business, which has remained a core area for Wharton ever since. In 1983, Wharton Hardware opened a second store in Springfield, Virginia. This store carries a similar inventory to the New Jersey store and, like the New Jersey store, offers daily jobsite delivery service. Wharton became more diversified in the 1990's with the acquisition of retail shopping centers in Medford New Jersey, Marlton New Jersey and Lower Makefield, Pennsylvania. Wharton is a family operation. Aldo Magistrelli still manages the company with the help of his three sons Victor, AJ and Chuck, and his son-in-law, Carl. If you've been to the store in Pennsauken, you may not have realized that the retail counter area was once a one-room schoolhouse. Although our business has seen many changes over the last 50 years, our location and our commitment to quality service have never changed. |
Aldo Magistrelli |
