Wisnom Hardware in San Mateo

This was not the only Wisnom Hardware store that the family has occupied in San Mateo. The first one was at Second Avenue and Ellsworth. On Nov. 13, 1905, when there were only a few thousand residents in the area, Robert J. Wisnom and brother William, teamed up with Robert Bonner and began in business that they felt was a sure-thing for success in a growing community. Everybody who owned a house needed repair items and hardware to keep their home livable. In addition to hardware, the Wisnom-Bonner store sold Dodge automobiles and household appliances during the 1920s.

In time, this line of merchandise was discontinued and the business concentrated on hardware items. In 1924, the Wisnom/Bonner partnership dissolved and the Wisnom family has run the business ever since.

Robert J. Wisnom was the second son of Irishman Robert "Big Bob” Wisnom and Sarah Donnan. "Big Bob” had apprenticed as a carpenter in Glasgow, Scotland at the age of 13 and later sailed to New Zealand as a ship’s carpenter. In 1866, he landed in San Francisco and made his way to San Mateo to work building the John Parrott estate. After this job was complete, he stayed in the area and began buying property and constructing building on these properties. He loved his work and became very successful. He partnered with James R. Doyle and the two engaged in the building and lumber business.

After returning to Ireland in 1872, he married Sarah Donnan. They returned to San Mateo and "Big Bob” and wife lived at Mrs. Tilton’s boarding house on Claremont Avenue. Soon after he started constructing a suitable home for his expected family. Unfortunately the first daughter, Margaret, died of diphtheria on a return trip from Ireland after living only a few months. Many children were to follow this event, however, and the family eventually consisted of seven living offspring. John "Jack” was born in 1873; Robert J (1875); Jane (1876); William (1882); Samuel (1887); and David (1891).

"Big Bob” developed a reputation as a hard-working, honest businessman and he continued erecting structures in the community. The family moved from Claremont Street to a home at First Avenue and B Street. A later move to a large piece of property between San Mateo Drive and Ellsworth Avenue resulted in the building of a large, white Victorian house surrounded by a white picket fence. Gardens were planted along with fruit trees and a large palm tree. When San Mateo incorporated in September 1894, "Big Bob” was a member of the first board of city trustees. He became the vice-president of the newly organized National Bank of San Mateo and remained so until it was acquired by A. P. Giannini’s Bank of Italy. He retired from active business in 1904 and consolidated all of his business interests into a family-owned corporation known as the Wisnom Company.

Robert J. and William decided to go into the hardware business in 1905 at Second and Ellsworth avenues. In 1958, the business moved to B Street. It remained here until 1982 when it again moved, this time to the present site at First and South Delaware.

Rediscovering the Peninsula by Darold Fredricks appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal.