Federicos Honored for Two Generations of Service
By Danielle Wiseman, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Al, Alex, and John Federico, owners of Coastal Supply Group, are pillars of the Staten Island community.
Coastal Supply Group, originally known as Coastal Plumbing Supply, was founded in March 1972 by Alexander Federico, Jr., more commonly known as Al. Over the five decades since the business’ inception, the Federico family has grown Coastal Supply Group exponentially, expanding to six locations in the Tri-state area.
At the time of Coastal Supply Group’s founding, Federico was a licensed New York City Master plumber. Originally a tradesman from Brooklyn, Federico decided that he wanted to open his own business. While looking for a location, Federico saw an ad in the newspaper for a supply house on Staten Island and upon doing research, Federico decided to purchase the building. Federico and his family moved to Staten Island, and Zimmerman Plumbing, a supply house in Stapleton that had been on Staten Island since World War I, became Coastal Plumbing Supply.
“Our first day in business we made $24, the second day we made $18, and the third day I got on the phone and started making all kinds of calls to let people know that Coastal Plumbing Supply was open,” reminisces Federico. “That’s how we started, and we never looked back.”
In 1982, just ten years after Federico started Coastal Plumbing Supply, he acquired a space on New Dorp Lane that opened as a kitchen and bath showroom in addition to a supply warehouse. The New Dorp Lane showroom serves as a place to showcase Coastal’s products to the general public, appealing to Staten Island’s commercial market.
Coastal Plumbing Supply has always been a true family business. Alongside Federico since Coastal’s inception were his sons, Alex and John, who were still in elementary school when Federico opened the business. “They started very young, but they participated in every part of the business,” states Federico. “They worked the counter, swept the floors, washed the toilets, worked the showroom and warehouse, kept inventory counts, and drove the trucks. They’ve done it all, and that taught them the business inside and out.” Federico’s late wife, Jacquelin Federico, also worked at Coastal Plumbing Supply as a bookkeeper.
As Coastal Plumbing Supply grew, Alex and John grew with it. Under the guidance of their father and mentor, the Federico sons slowly began to take over daily operations, assuming more responsibilities as time went on. Young and ambitious, Alex and John were eager to expand the business and build upon their father’s legacy. In 2006, the Federico brothers opened a third branch of Coastal Plumbing Supply on Staten Island. Located on Arthur Kill Road, the branch was Coastal’s second specialty shop and its first location to offer HVAC supplies.
Following the success of the Arthur Kill store, Alex and John Federico decided to expand further, widening their market share across the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In 2010, they opened the first Coastal Plumbing Supply branch in New Jersey, acquiring the former Abe Gruber Co. in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Shortly after, in 2015, Coastal opened its fifth branch in Long Island City, Queens. In conjunction with the newest acquisition, Coastal Plumbing Supply became Coastal Supply Group.
“In 1972 we started as Coastal Plumbing Supply because we were primarily offering materials to plumbers and homeowners,” says John Federico. “Over the years, we’ve diversified a lot of our product offerings, and we sell a lot more than just plumbing materials. In order to identify ourselves as a supplier of many different types of products, we changed our name to Coastal Supply Group.”
Today, Coastal Supply Group is a group of wholesale supply houses spanning New York and New Jersey that offer a full line of products, including plumbing, heating, kitchen, bath, HVAC, refrigeration, fire suppression, irrigation, landscape lighting, drainage, pumps, wells, and utility piping supplies. Coastal Supply Group is a leader in the supply industry, proudly serving trade professionals and homeowners for over fifty years.
Alex and John Federico have worked hard to continue their father’s legacy, making Coastal Supply Group a household name on Staten Island. Their latest acquisition, the former Swan Pump & Supply in Freehold, New Jersey, takes Coastal Supply Group’s offerings even further, adding a full line of pumps, wells, drainage, irrigation, and landscape lighting.
For their accomplishments, Al, Alex, and John Federico are being honored with a Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award, which they will receive in the Master Businessperson category. The awards, which are presented by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Advance, honor the memory of Louis R. Miller, a businessman and West Brighton resident who was also a community leader.
In addition to their strong presence on Staten Island through their work at Coastal Supply Group, Al, Alex, and John Federico are also dedicated community members, constantly engaging in organizations that uplift Staten Island. Between the three Federicos, they are members of the Monmouth County Master Plumbers Association, the Master Plumbers Council, the American Supply Association, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club of Richmond County and the Kiwanis Club of North Central Staten Island, the Home Improvement Contractors of Staten Island, the Community Agency for Senior Citizens, the Knights of Columbus, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ,the Italian Club of Staten Island and Integrated Community Facilities.
Coastal Supply Group recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. Federico joined the Chamber in 1973, one year after opening Coastal Supply Group, and he was eventually recommended to be on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Al Federico has also served as Chairman of many committees at the Chamber.
“It can be very easy to retreat to our offices and disengage with the rest of the community, so we really try to make it a priority to show our faces and get involved,” emphasizes John Federico. “We try to be as active as possible because we want our customers to know that we care about them and the community that we inhabit. Our roots are in Staten Island, and we’re proud of that.”
Questionnaire:
Current occupations and titles: Owners of Coastal Supply Group.
Hometown: Dongan Hills.
Community involvement: We are proud members of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Clubs of Richmond County and North Central, the Home Improvement Contractors of Staten Island, Community Agency for Senior Citizens, the Knights of Columbus, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Italian Club of Staten Island, Integrated Community Facilities, the Master Plumbers Council, and the American Supply Association.
Some of our life goals include: To continue to serve the people and the businesses in our community for the next 50 plus years.
The best part of our job: The interaction with our associates, customers, family and friends who have supported our growth and continue to each day.
The most difficult part of our job: After 50 plus years we have figured out what makes things difficult and have separated ourselves from it.
Our life philosophy: Always do what’s right.
We are most proud of: Our family.
We laugh at: Mostly everything.
We admire: Good food, well served.