LEOMINSTER — Liberty Supply Inc. marked its 40th anniversary last week with an open house attended by many who came out to celebrate the family owned and operated city business.
The affair held on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the 195 Hamilton St. spot included a lunch buffet, raffle prizes and live demonstrations of welding and plasma cutting technology. Attendees had the opportunity to talk with factory reps and shop from one day deals at the full-service company that offers welding supplies, industrial gases, and fire and safety equipment.
Liberty Supply is truly a multigenerational venture. Store Manager Deanne Brandes was at the open house along with many members of her family who are part of it, including her father, mother, sister, brother, nephews and son.
They had a contest during the event to see who could cut off a piece of a railroad track the fastest, with Brian Deciero of Deciero Welding in Lancaster coming in first at 46 seconds and taking home a $500 cutting torch outfit. A Miller Electric representative was there as Liberty Supply is an authorized sales and repair facility for the Wisconsin company that manufactures welding equipment and there were other vendors represented as well including Ohio based Lincoln Electric and Walter Abrasives out of Canada.
Deanne said they “did a lot of bartering with customers” for the raffle prizes, which included gift certificates to local restaurants, welding and safety equipment, stools and wall clocks.
“You did a lot of good work, great job,” a man was overheard saying to Deanne as she walked around chatting with everyone.
She shared that her father Pete Matarese worked for his grandfather, who owned Harry F. Graves for 27 years on Hamilton Street, the same road Liberty Supply is located on.
“It was the same type of business and when the company was declining my dad took a risk and mortgaged his home to start on his own in 1986,” the Sterling resident said of the beginnings of their family enterprise. “My brother joined him soon after as well as my grandfather and then myself a few years later.”
Her 84-year-old dad still comes into work every day and is “hands on with all of the operations.”
“My dad has been doing this since he was 17, for a total of 67 years, on the same street in Leominster,” Deanne shared.
Deanne said her mother Hazel Matarese also worked there until retiring, and she and her brother John Matarese, the company president, help manage their business along with Liberty Supply General Manager Paul Kimbar, who she said, “is like family and has worked for us for 32 years.”
Her sister and three of her parents’ grandsons work there as well, including her own son Ben as the receiving manager, and many of their employees have been there for decades.
“We don’t really have much turnover due to the fact that my dad treats everyone like family and values each and every one of them,” Deanne said.
They distribute gases including propane and CO2 to both individuals and different kinds of businesses, from a homeowner’s grill to beer kegerators and large manufacturers who need propane to move products along with breweries, bars, and restaurants for beer and soda. In addition, they provide oxygen for fire departments and medical facilities and gases for manufacturing, fabrication, research and development, laboratories, farm and equipment repair, agriculture, departments of public works and HVAC techs.
“The list goes on and on as to how many different types of businesses need gases, so we are very blessed to be in such a vast industry,” Deanne said. “When one industry is struggling in the economy there is another that is thriving. It has kept us going.”
She went on to say they owe their success to the patriarch of their family, her father, and all of their customers they have taken care of over the four decades Liberty Supply has been in business. Their motto is “Service! They way it used to be,” and they take that sentiment to heart.
“We treat every customer the same, whether big or small, and try to go the extra mile for everyone,” Deanne conveyed. “My dad thanks every customer that comes in and says thank you for coming, whether it is a homeowner filling their barbeque propane or a welder buying a $5,000 welder. He treats them all the same and he is the main reason for all of our success.”
Pete said he is happy to have reached this milestone and thankful for everyone who has been there with them along the way.
“I never thought I would see 40 years,” he imparted. “I am so grateful for the support of all our great customers and for the support of my wife who encouraged me to go for it and I’m lucky to have my children helping me along the way.”
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