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When Anthony Chmielowiec came to the United States in the 1910, he most likely knew that there would be hard work and uncertain times involved as he eventually pursued the American dream of becoming a successful business owner.
And even when he didn’t know something, he suspended and pushed beyond any potential self-doubt, as was the case when offered his first managerial job.
“And this is probably the best part of our history. He came over from Poland and he settled in Buffalo and didn’t really have a job. And he saw an ad in a local paper for a painting foreman, and he had no experience whatsoever,” his great-great-grandson Jack Jr. said during an interview with The Batavian. “But he went and told them he had experience. He was hired as the painting foreman, and he watched the other painters. He learned by watching the other painters. It was the beginning of our history.”
And what a history: From those early days of Anthony Chmielowiec’s paint contracting and paint store, which led to an office and shop at 450 Ellicott St., Batavia, the business has been shared amongst the men in the family — from Anthony in 1923 and his sons Adolph (aka Jack) and Raymond when they returned from serving overseas during World War II in 1946, to his son John Jack Sr. and Uncle Bob Chmielowiec in the 1980s, and then 13 years ago, it went to John Jack Jr. and Paul Chmielowiec.
A. Chmielowiec and Sons opened a paint and wallpaper store on Ellicott Street in 1948, and John Jack began his own painting contracting business with his two sons, John Jack Sr. and Robert (Bob) in 1965. As the business grew, they incorporated and changed the name to Chmielowiec Painting, Inc. Commercial and Industrial painting became their main source of business, including vinyl wall coverings, epoxy floors and wall protection.
Jack Chmielowiec then retired and his sons, Jack Sr. and Bob continued to grow the business. After 45 years, both of them retired in 2010, and sold the business to their sons, Jack Jr. and Paul Chmielowiec.
There’s no longer a shop attached to the name, and it’s a commercial/industrial painting business that caters primarily to the Rochester area, Jack Jr. said. His father, 79, was able to help celebrate the 100-plus-year anniversary of the business before he died on Tuesday.
“I think all the family was pretty proud of the fact that we’ve sustained the business for over 100 years,” Jack Jr. said. “It’s mainly because we provide quality work, we meet certain schedules, we have a strong relationship with the contractors we do business for. It’s a pretty simple model, but it seems to work. And we treat our people good, we have good guys. It’s about as simple as it gets.”
His father retired 13 years ago and had enough trust to let it go.
“When in a pinch and there was something he could do, he did it, but he kind of let us do our own thing,” Jack Jr. said. “I think it says a lot about the quality of the people in my family that passed it down to us. We get a lot of compliments on the quality of our work. At times they have other companies do the work and they say ‘we wish you were on the job.’”
His company does mostly interior painting work, and he can attest to the notion that although many people think everyone can paint, “everybody can’t paint.” So is there a secret to a job well done? Not really.
“Take your time and do what you’ve gotta do,” he said.
The company has downsized since the Kodak days when it had two shifts of 30 employees painting at the plant, he said. Today there are seven employees and the office is based on Prole Road in Batavia.
Photos courtesy of the family.
