About Us
In 1937, two craftsmen opened a small hardware restoration shop on Chicago's North Shore. They named the company Al-Bar after founders Bert Allan and Walter Baron. Over time, the company merged with Wilmette Electroplaters and Gilbertson’s Silversmith Company to become known as Al-Bar Wilmette Platers.
The Wilmette Hardware brand was started by Gregory Bettenhausen, building upon the foundation of tradition and devotion to quality craftsmanship that Bert and Walter built nearly 80 years ago. As a bespoke hardware firm dedicated to the design, production, and finishing of fine metalwork, Wilmette Hardware continues its legacy of providing exceptionally crafted, American-made Architectural Hardware to a discerning clientele across the US and beyond.
Wilmette Hardware was born of a metal restoration company, so it is little surprise that we are known for our finishes. All hardware packages are hand-plated to ensure a consistent finish so every piece of hardware, from knob to hinge to cremone, matches seamlessly. That process is unique to Wilmette Hardware and guarantees our clients, architects, designers, and builders that their selections are consistent and uniform.
Wilmette Hardware is fortunate to have on staff some of the nation’s finest silversmiths and platers who have perfected their craft over the past 30+ years. Some of Wilmette’s team have been with the company for decades, because the firm honors the age-old traditions that make their finishes the best in the business.
Wilmette offers a host of custom finishes making it easier to find the appropriate patina for your project. As a plating company, Wilmette ensures that the finish of every piece of hardware in a Wilmette package is hand-plated and identical - an assurance that sets the firm apart in the fine hardware fabrication industry.
As metalworkers, sculptors, and platers, the team of artisans at Wilmette Hardware can take nearly any sketch from an idea to a truly bespoke piece of hardware. Leveraging over 80 years of expertise, the Wilmette team works with architects, designers, and clients to bring their vision to fruition - however elaborate or unique. It is one of our favorite assignments, and we approach it with harnessed creativity, honed skill, and exacting attention to detail. Wilmette’s team of highly accomplished craftsmen is what makes it possible for the firm to offer custom fabrication of such intricacy and quality. Much of the work of our artisans is done by hand, painstakingly sculpting, carving, and plating - time-consuming endeavors that require patience and meticulous precision.