THE GILLIES STORY
Gillies has been championing specialty coffee ideals since clipper ship days.
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren, known as “the Little Magician” for his diminutive stature and astute political ability was the eighth president of the United States when the panic of 1837 punctured the prosperity of the young American republic. Hundreds of banks and businesses failed. Thousands lost their lands. For about five years the United States was wracked by economic depression.
The Gillies family were colonial Scottish immigrants to America, who embraced the Continental ideal and whose family members fought with General Washington. They settled as farmers at Newburgh New York, not far from President Van Buren’s own Dutch homestead in Kinderhook, on the other side of the majestic Hudson River. As the financial dislocation settled in as an economic misery on the land the economically stressed Gillies’ turned to their son Wright, to travel down river, in the parlance of that day, “to seek his fortune in the city.” The event is recorded in All About Coffee (Tea & Coffee Trade Journal Company,1922) Wm. H. Ukers’ great coffee reference work, known now as then as “The Coffeeman’s Bible.”
“While still a lad of nineteen, Wright Gillies came from a Newburgh farm in 1838, and obtained a clerkship in a tea store in Chatham Street, now Chambers and Duane Street. He branched out for himself in the tea and coffee business at 232 Washington Street in 1840, removing in 1843 to 236, which had a courtyard where he installed a horse-power coffee roaster…..”
Young Mr. Gillies and his little business prospered. During the remaining years of the Nineteenth Century the Gillies family continued to set the gold standard in American coffee roasting, innovating roasting with natural gas, and shipping their goods to fine retailers throughout the Northeast. In the early years of the century just ended, the little house from Washington Street fell on hard times, in part because there were no son’s to carry on the business, and in that age young women were forbidden from, “going into trade.”
The Schoenholt family was active in the New York coffee trade. The Gillies business presented a unique opportunity for the Schoenholt family. The Schoenholt family, and their coffee expertise, and interest in continuing the Gillies business presented an opportunity for the Gillies family and their hopes for continuing their coffee heritage into the future. It proved a match well made.
Mac Schoenholt entered the coffee trade around 1912. David L. Schoenholt, who would steer Gillies through mid-century, entered the trade in 1923. Mark Pendergrast wrote in his seminal history Uncommon Grounds (Basic Books, 1999) “Donald Schoenholt grew up with the smells of Mocha & Java.” That sentence says it all. Donald learned the trade at his father's knee cupping at 11, and roasting at 14. At 60, his credentials include a lifetime of background in all facets of coffee culture. In 1998 he was honored as international Tea & Coffee Man of the Year. In 1975 Don was joined by his Camp Colombia buddy, Hy Chabbott and together they have directed the fortunes of “America’s oldest coffee merchant” for over thirty years.
Hy Chabbott Literally "Beside Himself"
Honored in the Brooklyn Works Exhibit
at The Brooklyn Historical Society, 2003
David Schoenholt, as his Dad and Grandfather David before him, was steeped in coffee lore since childhood. He joined the firm, straight from Syracuse University in 2002. David has immersed himself in all aspects of the company's operations. He has been to origin, and distinguished himself in sales. His personal responsibilities include supervision of all Gillies manufacturing and warehousing operations. Young Mr. Schoenholt's by-line appeared in Roast Magazine above his observations on a field trip to Guatemala. Hy’s son David Chabbott is the newest member of the firm having joined the old house in 2006. Hy’s brother, Robert J. Chabbott, spearheads the Gillies customer service effort, and recently launched with the young Davids and another friend G.C. Custom Services Inc., an innovative specialty coffee private label enterprise.
An early retailer of specialty coffee itself, today Specialty coffees, teas and kindred products are marketed directly by Gillies to fine shops coffee specialty businesses and chef restaurateurs throughout the land. An expert at niche marketed specialty coffee products and ideas, Gillies markets Green coffee and expertise to roasting retailers, and Your Own Private Label™ coffees to gift shops, and specialty retailers. Fulfillment services are available to mail-order coffee businesses, and toll services are available to other roasters. Gillies supports retailers with an extraorinary level of expertise, and personal attention along with offering an noteworthy collection of allied products and equipment for the consummate professional coffee business.
Consumers can find a home for their coffee and tea cravings on the Gilliescoffee.com website where they can find Fresh from the Roaster™ coffees just for them.
Eight generations after our humble beginnings Gillies Coffee Company continues our founder’s aspirations to bring coffees of outstanding cup quality to America’s table. We are grateful that through all these years you have appreciated our efforts.
We
are at your service.
GILLIES COFFEE COMPANY
(A NEW YORK CORPORATION)