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Cooey Metal Products, located in Brighton Ont. was owned by the same family as the Cooey Machine and Arms. They were a manufacturer of utility metal furniture, such as stacking chairs, folding card tables and chairs which were sold through large retail chains and furniture stores across Canada.
The plant was in operation from 1941-1989 and the company dissolved in 1994.
Update May 1, 2014: According to Pictorial Brighton 1859-1984, the company was established in 1937 by Donald Cooey. It manufactured juvenile, utility and commercial furniture. During World War II, it made casings for mortar bombs. As of 1984, it was still family-owned and employing 70 people.
Several asides. When George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in 1939, the Royal train parked on the railway in front of Cooey Metal Products.
When the company went bankrupt, the factory in Brighton was given back to the town to cover back taxes and then finally demolished in 2001 as it had become unsafe. Unfortunately, after decades of manufacturing, the property was contaminated. As of April 2013, the son of the founder was facing a Clean Up Order from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. He doesn't have the money to pay for this, but his appeal against this order was dismissed so he's still on the hook. Some legacy his father left him.
4 comments:
I just picked up 4 for free and they are very comfy, easy to fold and put away. fresh coat of paint and good for another 30 yrs..
I just picked up 4 for free today -- from 1979 and in great condition!
Dec 10, 2022
Just upholstered 4 seats and back with the original plaque that read Codey by Brighton. The vinyl was so old it literally snapped off. Covering was held on by upholstery nails and the back was held on by brass tacks. Furniture was made to last in those days and the wood frame was still sturdy and the thick batting on the seats and back were still in good shape. As an upholsterer I love working on old furniture even if was utilitarian. So well built. Sad they went broke probably because they would not sacrifice quality.
Just got 3 chairs out of someone’s trash,
No rips in the upholstery and they don’t even need paint. Things were definitely well-made back then. They are probably 50 years old.
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