Successfully serving the public in a retail business for three generations is quite an accomplishment. Consider Cantelmi’s Hardware Store-an institution that has consistently served Bethlehem’s South Side community for the past 100 years.

This family’s success story began in South Bethlehem, still an independent borough when 46-year-old Italian immigrant Luigi Cantelmi arrived in 1901. A year later, his wife and their 6-year-old son, Placido, arrived from Italy. In America, assimilation was important to Italian immigrants who suffered discrimination because of their “foreign” sounding names. The solution-Italians simply chose “American” names. “Placido,” for example, chose an Americanized nickname, “Patsy” or “Pat.”

When Hungarian Magyar immigrant Andrew Bene, 43, arrived in South Bethlehem in 1906, his wife, Susan, 42, with their daughter, Julia, 4, and son Frank, 2, joined him a year later. Their “American” son, Lawrence Bene, was born in 1908. A shoemaker by trade, Andrew Bene supported his family at his own shoemakers shop. In 1921, Pat Cantelmi, 26, married Julia Bene, 18, and supported his wife at his first job-as a salesman at Drissel & Eberts Hardware Store on Third Street. A year later, armed with sales experience, knowledge of the hardware business and having completed a course at the Bethlehem Business School, Pat opened Cantelmi’s Hardware Store at 507 East Fourth St. in 1922.

After seven years of savings, Pat built a brick house at 203 East Packer Ave. on the corner of Webster Street across from the Lehigh University campus. Every fall after Lehigh football games, the family recalled the traffic jams from crowds of students and sports fans leaving Taylor Stadium.

In 1923, Julia gave birth to a son, Louis (Louie), named after his paternal grandfather, Luigi, and in 1925, their daughter, Geraldine was born. After an illness, their mother, Julia tragically died at age 30. Two years later, widower Pat Cantelmi met a single woman, Isabella Piermatte, born in Italy. They were married in Philadelphia in 1934.

In 1936, Louis and Geraldine’s stepmother, Isabella, became the mother of twins, Dino and Isabella. Through the lean Depression years of economic uncertainty, Cantelmi’s Hardware business continued to thrive.

Pat served his customers well, even with competition from seven other hardware stores in Bethlehem. When South Side hardware stores went out of business, Cantelmi’s Hardware became the destination for older immigrants and younger generations who relied on basic tools, paint and household gadgets.

In 1953, Louie Cantelmi, 30, married Lillian Zamiskie, 24, of Ruthenian heritage. In 1963, Lillian joined Cantelmi’s Hardware and became bookkeeper of the business, a position she held for the next 40 years.

Pat Cantelmi died Oct. 12, 1965, and ownership of the hardware store passed to his son, Louie. In 1986, Louie discovered that blouse manufacturer, A.G. Baba and Gamet, Inc. at 521 East Fourth St., filed for bankruptcy and left his three-story building vacant.

After Louie’s son, Richard “Rick” Cantelmi, purchased the empty building in 1987, family members and employees helped move merchandise from Cantelmi’s Hardware Store at 507 East Fourth St. to its new location at 521 East Fourth St. In 1991, Rick Cantelmi assumed ownership of the hardware store.

Shortly into the twenty-first century after Louie Cantelmi died at age 83 on June 4, 2007, Rick was the third generation to operate the hardware store, keeping alive the legacy his grandfather, Placido, “Pat” Cantelmi started in 1922.

Today, a fourth generation to operate the hardware store is Rick’s son, Patrick Cantelmi-a Temple graduate formerly of Corporate America and presently in charge of the E-commerce arm of Cantelmi Hardware Store.

On Oct. 22, 2022, Cantelmi Hardware Store will celebrate 100 consecutive years of business in the community. To help celebrate the 100th anniversary, Cantelmi’s will host “Customer Appreciation Day’ on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and feature demonstrations by vendors. Enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, soft dinks and free gifts. Parking on the corner lot at Pierce Street.

Join the celebration at Cantelmi’s Hardware Store, 521-29 East Fourth St., Southside age 30. Two years later, widower Pat Cantelmi met a single woman, Isabella Piermatte, born in Italy. They were married in Philadelphia in 1934.

In 1936, Louis and Geraldine’s stepmother, Isabella, became the mother of twins, Dino and Isabella. Through the lean Depression years of economic uncertainty, Cantelmi’s Hardware business continued to thrive.

Pat served his customers well, even with competition from seven other hardware stores in Bethlehem. When South Side hardware stores went out of business, Cantelmi’s Hardware became the destination for older immigrants and younger generations who relied on basic tools, paint and household gadgets.

In 1953, Louie Cantelmi, 30, married Lillian Zamiskie, 24, of Ruthenian heritage. In 1963, Lillian joined Cantelmi’s Hardware and became bookkeeper of the business, a position she held for the next 40 years.

Pat Cantelmi died Oct. 12, 1965, and ownership of the hardware store passed to his son, Louie. In 1986, Louie discovered that blouse manufacturer, A.G. Baba and Gamet, Inc. at 521 East Fourth St., filed for bankruptcy and left his three-story building vacant.

After Louie’s son, Richard “Rick” Cantelmi, purchased the empty building in 1987, family members and employees helped move merchandise from Cantelmi’s Hardware Store at 507 East Fourth St. to its new location at 521 East Fourth St. In 1991, Rick Cantelmi assumed ownership of the hardware store.

Shortly into the twenty-first century after Louie Cantelmi died at age 83 on June 4, 2007, Rick was the third generation to operate the hardware store, keeping alive the legacy his grandfather, Placido, “Pat” Cantelmi started in 1922.

Today, a fourth generation to operate the hardware store is Rick’s son, Patrick Cantelmi-a Temple graduate formerly of Corporate America and presently in charge of the E-commerce arm of Cantelmi Hardware Store.

On Oct. 22, 2022, Cantelmi Hardware Store will celebrate 100 consecutive years of business in the community. To help celebrate the 100th anniversary, Cantelmi’s will host “Customer Appreciation Day’ on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and feature demonstrations by vendors. Enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, soft dinks and free gifts. Parking on the corner lot at Pierce Street.

Join the celebration at Cantelmi’s Hardware Store, 521-29 East Fourth St., Southside Bethlehem.