Farrey’s Lighting, Bath, Kitchen & Hardware Celebrates Centennial
There are few lighting and plumbing distributors that have the stellar reputation and forward-thinking leadership that family-run Farrey’s Lighting, Bath, Kitchen and Hardware of Florida has maintained through 100 years and four generations of ownership, essentially becoming one of the first nationally recognized names in the industry.
To celebrate its centennial, Farrey’s recently hosted a 100th Anniversary Celebration at its North Miami showroom. Invited VIP guests – such as community leaders, architects, general contractors, real estate agents, designers, and more – enjoyed the opportunity to congratulate CEO & Chairman Bud Farrey, his family, and Farrey’s executives.
Farrey’s was honored with three proclamations from Miami-Dade County Governmental and Community Affairs Liaison Melonie Burke, North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin, and North Bay Village Mayor Brent Latham, commemorating Farrey’s dedication and commitment to the Miami-Dade community.
The exclusive event featured such unique touches and photo opportunities as a retro photo booth, a 100th anniversary-themed ice sculpture, and a Fiat gelato car provided by Dolce Vita Gelati. A violinist entertained and engaged with the guests throughout the gala while they enjoyed complimentary wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres.
“It’s an honor to celebrate this remarkable milestone and the Farrey’s legacy,” said Bud Farrey. “It’s been a pleasure to serve our community for the past 100 years. Our customers are like family to us, and this wouldn’t be possible without them and our long-time vendor partners who have trusted our team for their lighting, bath, kitchen and hardware needs.”
Founded by John J. and Emily Farrey in 1924, Farrey’s began as a small general store that sold hardware, linens, lighting, china, fishing gear, and other home products.
A testament to Farrey’s rich history in the Miami-Dade community, after the 1926 hurricane, John J. Farrey was appointed chief building inspector of Miami Beach, with a mandate to craft a building code that would prevent that level of structural damage from occurring again. This historic document was later recognized as the first South Florida Building Code.
In the 1960s, the third generation joined the family business. Bud Farrey became Chairman and President, while Frank Farrey assumed the roles of Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. They guided the business through continuous expansion over the next decades. Most notably, Bud and Frank upheld the family’s legacy of success by demonstrating adaptability and growth with the times.
Today, the fourth generation of the Farrey family continues their legacy of service with the largest product selection and in-stock inventory of its kind in South Florida. With more than 25,000 in-stock SKUs and two 30,000-sq.-ft. showrooms — one in North Miami, built in 1980, and one in Coconut Grove, built in 2002 — the company owes its longevity to always having strong local, national, and international vendor relationships as well as providing excellent service to South Florida trade professionals.
The event was a success thanks to the generosity of various sponsors, including, Platinum Sponsors Graff, Toto, WAC, Schonbek, and Modern Forms; Gold Sponsors Hansgrohe, Robern, Elegant, Minka, and Artemide; Silver Sponsors Avenue Lighting, Aquabrass, Baldwin, Beach Lighting, Dornbracht, Duravit, ET2, Gessi, Lib&Co, Madeli, Eurofase, Legrand, and MTI; plus additional sponsors Ginger, Newport Brass, Lutron, Palecek, Tech Lighting, and Blanco.
