Water Street Brass was founded by two brothers, Charles and Matthew Churchill. The brothers grew up in a manufacturing minded family and have worked in various small businesses throughout their childhood. One of those businesses included Jamestown Furniture Hardware, which was founded in 2002 by the parents of Charles and Matthew. The company served furniture manufacturers by offering high end solid brass hardware made to precise specifications. Matthew, having worked in the hardware business since 2007 and knowing the manufacturing strengths, saw an opportunity to create a product line for residential applications. In 2012, the two brothers put the plan in motion and founded Water Street Brass. The team developed the first designs, catalog, and partnered with exclusive luxury boutique partners to showcase their product to designers, architects, and discerning homeowners. Those products proved to be enthusiastically welcomed in the industry and by July of 2014 the company outgrew its manufacturing facility and moved to a new factory in Lakewood, NY. To this day, the company continues to grow, hiring and training more skilled craftsmen, and adding equipment and manufacturing capabilities.
Jamestown itself has a rich history of decorative hardware manufacturing that began in the 19th and 20th centuries due to the rising number of furniture factories in the area. In 1930, nearly half of the factories in Jamestown manufactured furniture. Jamestown became known as the “Furniture Capital of the World” and the largest international furniture show was held in Jamestown where people would come from all over the world to see the latest and greatest products. This created a great demand for metalsmiths to produce decorative hardware for the thriving furniture industry in the area. Many architectural and decorative hardware companies were born. Over time, many of these companies were bought by larger firms and moved out of the area with production moving oversees, creating a void in the marketplace. As a result, Jamestown Furniture Hardware was born and provided the foundation for Water Street Brass.
