Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Family-Owned Businesses (November 2022)
Family-Owned Businesses (November 2022)
CAREERS
ILGR staff member 2022
to be honored
Kristen Lazarony, a rapid rehousing indepen-
dent living specialist with Independent Living
of the Genesee Region, has been chosen as one
of three recipients of the Unsung Hero Awards
of the Homeless Alliance of Western New York
(HAWNY).
Lazarony has been with In-
dependent Living since Janu-
ary 2020 and has been able to
help hundreds of people who
were at risk of or experiencing
homelessness along with fac-
ing eviction.
Kexin Ma, executive director Lazarony
at HAWNY, said the honorees
were nominated by their peers in the commu-
nity.
“The Unsung Hero Award is given to those in
our community whose quiet and diligent efforts
had an incredibly positive impact on the lives of
homeless individuals and families,” Ma said.
The award ceremony will take place at
HAWNY’s 17th Annual Luncheon, scheduled
from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Classics V Ban-
quet Center, 2425 Niagara Falls Blvd. Amherst.
For anyone who wishes to attend, tickets for
the luncheon are available for purchase either
individually or per table of eight. Attendees
can register by Nov. 30 at Event Brite at www.
eventbrite.com/e/hawny-luncheon-tick-
ets-428157629997 .
Independent Living of the Genesee Region is a
member of the Western New York Independent
Living Inc. family of agencies that offer an ex-
panding array of services to aid individuals with
disabilities to take control of their own lives.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The history of C.B. Beach & Son Mortuary dates back nearly 120 years. Pictured here in this photo from about 1908 are Betsy Abramson’s great
uncle James J. Beach (little boy), her great grandfather C. B. Beach on horse-drawn hearse and great grandmother Ida Curtis Beach on porch of
the family home on Allegheny Street in Corfu.
2022
2022
Heating and cooling for 75 years A rocky start, but with some help,
BATAVIA: Arctic Refrigeration in third generation of family ownership Sheelar’s now a thriving business
By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com By SCOTT DESMIT She joined him in the He got a job a Dan’s Tire,
sdesmit@batavianews.com business, taking care of worked at Zigrossi’s and at
BATAVIA — A family-run
Batavia company started in its Mark Sheelar had been the books and making ap- a couple of dealerships in
founder’s garage three-quar- working at various auto- pointments and cashing the Rochester area before
ters of a century ago is going motive repairs shops since out customers.
he graduated from Alfred Sheelar has had a few renting a location from
strong at 26 Cedar St. Mullen.
The company, Arctic Re- State in Wellsville when he employees over the years
decided to go on his own. but mostly it has been just He plans on staying on
frigeration Co. of Batavia,
Inc., sells, installs and services In 2001, he rented a loca- him and his wife. Pearl Street.
residential and commercial tion from Bob Mullen and None of their three “We’ve always had good
heating, ventilation and air officially opened Sept. 1, children are involved and customers and we’ve had
conditioning (HVAC) appli- 2001. when Sheelar was a teen- a lot of people who have
ances. It is owned by company That was 10 days before ager, no one in his family
the 9/11 terrorist attacks. always come back,” he
president Jonathan Mager, his worked in the repair busi-
“Everything slowed right ness. said. “A lot of them are get-
older brother, vice president
down,” Sheelar said. “I started tinkering with ting older and they’ve been
Justin Mager, their father, Wil- MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
liam Mager, and uncles, Mike Jonathan Mager and his father William Mager are shown outside The going was tough the my first car and I liked it,” with me since the begin-
Mager and Dick Mager. The at Arctic Refrigerations Cedar Street location in Batavia. first few years, but he had he said. ning.”
business was founded in 1947 help.
by Jonathan’s grandfather, “It was never my full intent said. “Bob Mullen helped
Henry Mager, and Henry’s to be here all the time, but I Arctic Refrigeration estab- me out a lot the first few
brother, Leo, 75 years ago. think it just kind of ended up lished a trade scholarship in years,” he said. “I don’t
The office manager is Teresa that way,” he said. “I love the the name of Henry Mager, who know if I could have done
industry. I really enjoy helping passed away in 2009. Henry it without him.” Real Estate Services
Tamfer.
D HA
AR
N
Ask me about the 100% Money Back Guarantee!
NA
HO
people and working with my Mager was working up until he Sheelar started to get
TEE
100
“I’ve worked here since I
AN
%
M
R
ON A
was a kid and then full-time hands. It’s kind of the best of died at age 83, Jonathan said. return customers and a
Branch Manager
I started after college, 2008,” both worlds. Three generations “We’ve done that for 12 steady base of customers, Licensed Assoc. RE Broker
Jonathan Mager said. and 75 years later, it’s provided years. That’s for a high school many who are still with 570 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020
Working for a family busi- a good living for not only our senior going into the trades him today. Office: 585.343.6750
ness is all he’s known. family, but all the families we program,” Jonathan said. “It’s On March 2, 2009, he Cell: 716-392-3520
usually $1,000.” opened his own shop, HowardHanna.com
“Typical issues are the same employed for the last 75 years.” tammykavneyrose@howardhanna.com
with everyone else in finding Arctic Refrigeration cur- Jonathan Mager said so far, Sheelar Automotive Re-
quality staffing. I think every- rently employs 15 people. the scholarship has been for pair at 149 Pearl St.
body’s got a hard, uphill battle “My brother and I are kind of students at the Genesee Valley Sheelar, 57, is a 1983
being in business right now,” the last for a long time. There’s BOCES campus in Batavia or graduate of Alexander
Jonathan said. “It’s probably nobody else our age in our for Batavia High School stu- High School.
family that’s trying to get into dents. There is talk of expand- His wife, Traci, gradu-
not just family businesses,
the business at this point, but ing the scholarship to include ated from Batavia High
but being small and local has
who knows for future genera- interested students from other School in 1987.
its own challenges that come
tions?” Jonathan Mager said. schools, he said.
up. We’re a small business in
a small town. We’re compet- “We both have kids, so maybe
ing against some of the bigger someday, they’ll be interested Celebrating 53 Years!
companies in Buffalo and in it.”
Rochester. We try to hold our Jonathan and Justin Mager
own as best we can.” will continue to run the busi-
Jonathan Mager said being ness for the foreseeable future,
here 75 years is something the Jonathan said. A New York Leader in Quality Milk Production
family is proud of. He said his “We both enjoy it quite a bit. and Ag Innovation
grandfather, Henry, was a ma- It’s basically what we’ve both
chinist. done since we were teenagers,
“That was during World War
II. He was not in the war. After
anyway,” he recalled.
As far as location, the build-
585-948-5777
the war, people were starting ing at 26 Cedar St. was built in OAKFIELD, NY
to build houses and buy appli- the mid-’70s.
ances and stuff like that,” Jona- “They were on Otis Street,
than Mager said. “He started in a garage, prior to that. It
fixing those for everybody and was my grandfather’s garage,”
it kind of just blossomed from Jonathan Mager said.
there.” Arctic Refrigeration expects lambfarms@hotmail.com • lambfarmsinc.net
Jonathan Mager said he to be at 26 Cedar for awhile,
grew up in the appliance repair Jonathan Mager said.
industry and was very familiar “At this point in time, this
with it. building’s plenty for us,” he
N
NA
HO
AN
%
M
R
ON A
Cell: 585.314.7269
Office: 585.343.6750
Fax: 585.343.8502
michelledills@howardhanna.com
HowardHanna.com
REFRIGERATION CO.
OF BATAVIA, INC.
26 Cedar St., Batavia
74th
ANNIVERSARY
1947-2021
(585) 343-2678
2011 Genesee County Business of the Year!
www.ArcticRefrigeration.com
THE DAILY NEWS Saturday, November 26, 2022 C5
2022
‘
ksciandra@batavianews.com
We are always kind of focus on the cows and the Veazeys MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOGRAPH
Max Pies Furniture at 400 take care of all the cropping operations,
South Jackson St., Batavia, is thankful to the growing the feed for the cows. Also the
Kendra Lamb welcomes students from Rochester’s Audubon School No. 33 to Lamb
Farms in this 2018 file photograph.
a family-owned and operated community for the environmental aspect in term of manure
furniture store that’s been management and also the office staffing,” along the genetic side. want to come into and be apart of.”
serving the community for continued she said. “ In the fields there are new seed varieties Lamb said they are thankful to be part
generations. generational Lamb said what contributed to the Lamb Farms are able to use as well as GPS of a great community that is supportive of
Max Pies immigrated to farm’s longevity is a good family working technology that help do a better job of tak- their farm, and they are really apprecia-
America from Russia in the
late 1800s. He began his new
life by settling in with some
relatives who lived in Batavia.
support.
STEVEN PIES
vice president,
’ relationship and benefited from a pro-
gressive mindset from the generations
prior.
Over the years, new technology has
ing care of the soil.
The farms have also grown in size, as
well as the number of family members in-
volved in the farm.
tive of that. She said they know it’s not that
way everywhere for farms because there
is odor and traffic that comes along with
a farm.
Max Pies Furniture
He started collecting junk on come into their disposal, Lamb said, and “I think we’ve learned we can never be “We just love the community we are in,
the southside of Batavia. As the genetics of the animals have improved comfortable sitting still. We’re always try- and we try to be good neighbors,” Lamb
life went on Max built up his significantly. Milk production per cow ing to learn more and improve our opera- said. “We really appreciate the neighbors
reputation and met his wife, are the fifth generation to be is significantly higher than it was in the tion,” Lamb said. “That’s really the way we do have.”
Anna Wortzman. They contin- put on the payroll at Max Pies 1960s, and she said a lot of that is through for us to try to stay in business, and have For more information, visit lambfarm-
ued selling junk and eventu- Furniture. good nutrition and good management, a good operation the next generation will sinc.net.
ally began selling furniture, “We are always thankful
which later took off in 1905 as to the community for the
Max Pies Furniture. continued generational sup-
Max’s sons, Sam and Jake port. We have a fully stocked
Pies, eventually entered the showroom with many special
holiday deals,” said Steven. Real Estate Services
family business at the location
Max Pies Furniture has a Ask me about the 100% Money Back Guarantee!
where it still stands today in AR
D HA
Batavia. Another of his sons, large selection of all the es- DEBORAH GILLEN 10597 Main St.
W
N
NA
HO
M
R
ON A
EY B CK
A GU
Furniture in Lockport. Even- choose from. Whether you’re 570 East Main Street • Batavia, NY 14020
tually, the business expanded remodeling your living room, Cell: 585.749.8951
into flooring and added Max redecorating your bedroom or Office: 585.343.6750
deborahgillen@howardhanna.com
Pies Floor covering, which furnishing your home for the HowardHanna.com
serviced anywhere from Buf- first time, Max Pies Furniture
falo to Rochester. can help. 585-591-1140
Today, the Pies family is With brands such as Ashley, 1-888-344-0176
only involved with the Bata- Bassett, Best, and Corsicana,
via location. The business is
owned by Max’s grandson,
Philip Pies and Philip’s son,
Max Pies sells quality furni-
ture, mattresses, dining sets
and more.
C.B. Beach & Son sales@sunnysidecyclesales.com
2022
GUY PELLEGINO
’ business 17 years ago. It
wasn’t that it was given to me
by my father.”
Pellegrino said his father
inate, tile flooring, window are very high,” the business Owner of Pellegrino Auto Sales
actually worked in the U.S.
treatments, area rugs and owner said.
Postal Service.
more for many years. Pellegrino Auto Sales has MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
“He wasn’t even in this
In 1915, Edgar Wills initially been in business for 17 years.
industry. I started this. It was Guy Pellegrino started Pellegrino Auto Sales 17 years ago.
sold wallpaper to the commu- Guy Pellegrino said his cous- But, most of all, we’ve done
in, Joe Pellegrino, who works things with high regard for my baby,” he said.
nity. As he grew his flooring Guy Pellegrino has four
business, he expanded into in sales, has been there for our integrity and moral char-
15 of those years. Guy’s dad, acter, which I’m very proud children: Mia, who will soon
11 stores at one point. Those
Rocco, stops in each morn- of.” be 16; Ava, 12; Ani, 7; and
stores were later thinned out
during World War II. ing, five or six days a week, The Pellegrino Auto Sales Rocco, 5.
In the 1950s, a couple partly to see if there’s any- owner says at a family-owned “My daughter jokes that
named John and Margaret thing he can do to help. business, you’ll get change she’s going to come in and do
Vallese were his employees “My father, Rocco, when he more quickly than in a corpo- this or that. My son, I’ve got a
and he eventually sold them retired in 2006, is here daily to rate structure. great video, a great clip of him
the store in Batavia, which is help me with whatever I need “We’re able to pivot and at 18 months or 2 years old.
the only remaining store. A — running cars to service or change things sooner than He said he was going to be my
small group of existing em- driven, for drive cycle, for the at a corporate level,” he said. boss. I thought that was kind
ployees later bought the store shop. He’s always helped me “A corporate level has to of cute, but they’re all young
from the couple when the in any capacity that he can,” go through many different and they’re all into their own
Valleses moved to Florida in Guy Pellegrino said. “My dad stages, then approvals. The things right now,” he said.
1980. will be here at 9:30 for coffee board’s got to vote, ‘OK, this “We’ll see. You never know
The store came to be and from there, whatever you is how we’ll move forward.’ In what life brings you.”
owned and operated by Kim need him to do ... Even on a small, family-owned, inde- The most important thing At Will’s Carpet One Floor & Home we’re proud
Wolcott and Tim Tyler. Tim Saturday, he’ll stop in, have pendent, it’s like, ‘Hey, this is about a family business is to to be your local flooring store, but we’re so
started working for the store coffee with the guys. I’m not not working out. Let’s make a keep the two separate and much more. With our expansive inventory of
in 1971. here on Saturday.” change. Let’s make a move.’ ”
In 2020, Wolcott retired Even before Pellegrino Pellegrino said he has
keep it professional at work, products and services, make us your one-stop
and the store is now owned by Auto Sales, Guy Pellegrino never expected the next gen-
Pellegrino said. source for every home improvement or office
“Working with my cousin,
Tim and his son, Brian Tyler. said, he was working in a fam- eration to come to work at the
Joe, he’s been here 15 years,
upgrade. As members of the world’s leading
Brian has worked for the store ily business — other families’ dealership, though it would
and my father, for that mat- independent flooring cooperative, our focus is
for the last 27 years and has businesses. be nice, he acknowledged.
been installing for the com- “I’ve been at two different “I have three girls and a ter, making sure we always as strong as our commitment to every customer
pany for about 20 years. dealerships, both used car, son. I don’t expect any one of keep it professional and that walks through the doors. Visit us today and
“Our in-house installation both family-owned, inde- them to come in here and op- separate family from busi- learn more about why shopping local matters.
team can install both soft and pendent, so I don’t know any erate (Pellegrino Auto Sales),” ness, I think that’s the most
hard surface flooring,” said differently,” he said. “This he said. “Honestly, I want important thing — always 651 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 • 343-7830
Brian. dealership (Pellegrino) has them to find their own path.” keeping it respectful, the con- Visit our web site at: willscarpetonebatavia.com
As a cooperative, Wills certainly surpassed both of If that path is with the versations.”
Carpet One Floor & Home de- the dealerships I’ve worked business, great, but if not,
2022
From 129 acres, 6 generations later Root Brothers farms 5,000 acres
By SCOTT DESMIT moving to Northhampton, Mass., in 1652, ex- the farms until his death in 1996.
sdesmit@batavianews.com actly 200 years before the start of the farm. n Rob and Scott actually began farming as
What a difference 170 years makes. n Thomas Root moved to Yates in the 1840s the “New Root Brothers” in 1970. They bought
Orpheus Root shelled out $5,500 for a and then to Millville, where they operated a 180 acres from Ora Lee in 1974, paying $75,000.
129-acre farm, which included a house and store. Today, Scott and Rob continue operating,
barns. n Orpheus Root buys a farm from James growing corn, soybeans, wheat, cabbage,
Today, well, on Nov. 8, his farm was on Face- Johnson. squash, tomatoes, pumpkins and, yes, Brussels
book. In Elmira. n Dan Root farmed “The Home Farm” From sprouts. They have nearly 100 employees dur-
“Our students are enjoying New York chick- 1875 to 1908 and retired to Medina. His wife ing the peak seasons. In addition to the home
en and cheese quesadillas PLUS locally-grown was the daughter of Arnold Gregory, a local
farm, the operation has package and storage
food,” Elmira City School District wrote. “From farmer and founder of Arnold Gregory Hospital
on West Avenue, cold storage on Maple Street
the farm to our students meal tray: NY Brussel which operated for many years in Albion.
Sprouts from Root Brothers in Albion, NY.” n Arnold Root took over Home Farm and op-
in Barre and its grain location is on Sanderson
Along with a photograph of a tray full of erated it from 1903 to 1949, when he died. Road in Shelby.
roasted sprouts. ELMIRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT VIA FACEBOOK n His sons Pierson and Norman became The farm also has been honored for its work.
Root Brothers Farm is one of Orleans Coun- the first Root Brothers before splitting in 1960, In 2016, it won the Orleans County Chamber
Brussels sprouts, bottom left, served for lunch
ty’s oldest continuing family-run farms and when they each had enough sons to operate of Commerce’s Agriculture Business of the
recently in the Elmira City School District
now operates more than 5,500 acres across the originated at Root Brothers Farm. independently. Year. In 1993, it was officially named a Century
county. n Pierson farms until he retired in 1988. He Farm.
A look at the history of the farm, which is n The Root family came to America in 1637 leased land to his sons Rob and Scott and his In 30 years, the farm will be eligible for Bi-
based on West Lee Road: from England, settling in Harford, Conn., until orchards to son Dale and continued to help at centennial Farm status.
N
NA
HO
good relationships with cus- PHOTO PROVIDED BY MODERN HOME KITCHEN AND BATH
TEE
100
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
AN
%
M
R
ON A
EY B CK GU
tomers on both the wholesale Inside Modern Home Kitchen and Bath is a 2,500-square-foot showroom and a 5,000-square-foot 570 East Main Street • Batavia, NY 14020
A
and retail side of things and it production center that allows for customized cabinetry and countertops to be produced locally. Cell: 716.491.1301
seems to have worked out for Office: 585.343.6750
us,” said manager Mike Bug- money on their dream homes have prices and brands to fit quite a few where someone has josephpiracci@howardhanna.com
man. and their dream kitchens. So all of those needs and we are done a kitchen or a bathroom HowardHanna.com
Inside, a 2,500-square-foot it is certainly a pleasure to see able to do more customizing a few years ago and they have
showroom features counter- people satisfied,” said Bugman. than what you would find in a either moved or they want to
tops, faucets, fixtures, baths, What has also helped is hav- bigger box store I suppose and upgrade again and come back
and custom cabinets. Modern ing employees who offer no maybe have a little bit more of a to us for a second time,” said
Home also has 5,000 square feet pressure sales and designers personal relationship with our Bugman.
of production space that allows who can customize designs for customers than those stores do Bugman said it is job that he Real Estate Services
them to produce countertops any room on the house with a as well,” said Bugman. loves. He said he is happy help- Ask me about the 100% Money Back Guarantee!
locally. Each countertop comes state of the art 20-20 computer Modern Home’s services ing people create their dream AR
D HA
N
NA
HO
with a manufacturer’s war- design software with artistic attract people from all over the homes.
TEE
100
M
R
ON A
EY B CK GU
ranty and a dedicated staff that color renderings. With this area and Bugman said they are “We are very thankful to be
A