BARDONS & OLIVER, INC., is one of the chief machine-tool firms in Cleveland. Two former Warner & Swasey officials, Geo. Bardons and John Oliver, founded the firm in 1891 at 3 Water (W. 9th) St. Originally it manufactured bicycle hubs and the machines to make them; eventually it became a major manufacturer of turret lathes and parts, special machinery, and pipe and tube mill equipment. In 1895 Bardons & Oliver moved to the corner of Case Ave. and Hamilton. Eight years later, it relocated to 1133 W. 9th St. When Bardons died in 1924, John Oliver became the sole owner, and the Oliver family has remained active in the business ever since. In 1936, the firm was incorporated. In 1968, Bardons & Oliver made its only major acquisition, the Boom Boiler & Welding Co., one of the largest fabricators of custom-built industrial equipment in Cleveland. Wm. Birt Boom organized the company in 1915 on Merwin St. and incorporated it 2 years later. The company divided its work between the manufacture of boilers, tanks, machine bases, and weldments and the repair of machines and boilers for lake vessel firms. By 1938 its business had grown to a point that it needed to expand from its shop on Elm Ave. to 2 plants in the FLATS. After 20 years of operation under Bardons & Oliver, the Boom division was liquidated in 1988. Since then Bardons & Oliver has employed 100 and maintained annual sales of around $10 million. In 1995 Bardons & Oliver moved to a new facility in Solon, OH. The Bardons & Oliver building at 1133 W. 9th St. was later converted into the Water Street Apartments as part of Cleveland's continued efforts to transform old commercial structures into desirable downtown housing in the WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
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