COLONIAL ELECTRIC

The original Colonial Electric, a trusted industrial focused electrical products distributor, was founded in 1917 in center city Philadelphia but closed its doors in 1970 due to a lack of interest in continuing the business by the heirs of the founder. The original site located at 10th and Vine was sold to a developer. In 1972 their top salesman, Joe Bellwoar, restarted the business but added the word Supply to the name. Joe, despite having the responsibilities of five children under the age of ten and a newly purchased home in the suburbs, decided to risk everything in order to give business ownership a try. Confidence was not a problem for Joe. Knowing this, most of the former employees, vendors, and customers of the original Colonial Electric stuck with him. Unable to get a credit line from the bank, Joe borrowed money from his father and brother, prominent Philadelphia attorneys, and from his best customer who worked at the Scott Paper company, then a mainstay in Philadelphia.....

Primary location: King Of Prussia United States