Our History: Delivering the goods since 1865
In 1865, Mr. William M. Bird set our history into motion. Seeing the need to rebuild a Civil War- ravaged Charleston, Mr. Bird acted on the opportunity to add value by leveraging the great relationships and contacts that he made while serving as a Charleston harbor ship captain and blockade runner during the war. His innovative vision at the time was followed by great opportunity.
By bringing whale oil to light the city, lumber, and paint, William M. Bird and Co. became an important source of much needed provisions to the area. His rebuilding and expansion plans included a reliable route by using the schooner, “William M. Bird”, which brought goods from the Northeast to Charleston and Savannah. Though the vessel sank in 1899, the company continued to thrive and evolve into what we know today.
From the earthquake of 1886, to the Great Depression, to both World Wars, and even Hurricane Hugo in 1989, William M. Bird and Co. has survived, adapted, and thrived with the times. We use the touchstone symbol of the “Golden Whale” as our trademark to represent quality and value. The Whale reminds us that we must offer the best products available while adapting to continually changing market needs.
The cornerstones of our business are reliability and relationships. We know that being reliable and keeping our word is critical to maintaining the quality of the partnerships with our customers. We understand that quality relationships with our customers allow us to fully realize their needs. We also know that by acting on this knowledge, we are able to deliver the quality products that our customers require for success.
Each and every day we strive to add value to you, our customers. By keeping this mindset in the forefront our hope is to continually build on Mr. Bird’s enduring legacy in the years to come.
