15-17 West Main Street

Now & Then: 15–17 West Main Street, Webster, NY

Now

 Today, the storefronts at 15 and 17 West Main Street are home to Performance Hobbies and Cornerstone Realty, continuing the tradition of small business in the heart of Webster Village. A glimpse back to 2009: Tom McCoy of Performance Hobbies brought the spirit of play to life at the village with his annual Balsa Airplane Contest—gathering kids at the gazebo, giving each a free plane, and turning a simple afternoon into a shared tradition of creativity, flight, and community.

Roy Hawley’s Hardware Store

 In 1910, William Roy “Bob” Hawley purchased the building from Harvey Bergh, launching Roy Hawley’s Hardware Store. The sale was sealed with a handshake and a promise to pay over time. Hawley, a lifelong Webster resident, would go on to become Mayor of Webster, serving from 1931 to 1965. His hardware store later moved to the corner of Lapham Park and East Main Street, but its origins were right here at 17 West Main. 

Harvey Bergh’s Hardware Business

 Before Hawley, Harvey Bergh began his hardware business at this location in 1893. A skilled tinsmith, Bergh was known for installing stoves, furnaces, tin roofs, and gutters, serving the practical needs of a growing village. 

Harvey Bergh was a prominent early 20th-century resident of Webster, New York. In 1910, he sold the building that later became home to Hawley’s Hardware, contributing to the town’s commercial development. A dedicated member of the local Masonic Lodge, Bergh is remembered for presenting a stone from King Solomon’s Quarry in Jerusalem to the lodge in 1912. He was also active in the community’s social life and is frequently mentioned in historical editions of The Webster Herald. 

Incorporated in 1905, the Village of Webster quickly recognized the need for a reliable water supply to support its growing community, initially sourcing water from a spring on Harris Road in 1909. As demand increased, this early system proved insufficient, prompting the search for a more sustainable solution. In 1935, Harvey C. Bergh was appointed to lead that effort, successfully locating new water sources in the DeWitt Road area and securing the foundation for the village’s long-term water supply.