It was 2007, and Mark Andol was watching his life’s work crumble. He didn’t just lose a client. He lost two multi-million dollar contracts on the same weekend. Both went to China. As the owner of General Welding & Fabricating in Elma, New York, he had to look his neighbors and family members in the eye and tell them they were laid off. He closed two of his four plants. He was angry. Honestly, most people would have just filed for bankruptcy and called it a day. But Mark did something that basically everyone in his life called "crazy."
He decided to open a retail shop that sold absolutely nothing unless it was 100% American-made.
The Mark Andol Made in America Store didn’t start as a polished business plan. It was a middle finger to the status quo. When he opened the doors in 2010 in a defunct car dealership, he only had 50 products on the shelves. He couldn’t find anything else that met his "100% only" rule. No foreign components. No foreign packaging. Nothing.
The Tragic Turn in 2025
If you’re looking for Mark at the flagship store in Elma today, you won’t find him. In a shocking turn of events that rocked the Western New York community, Mark Andol passed away unexpectedly on July 15, 2025, at the age of 59.
He was at the height of his influence. Just months before, he’d been featured in The Washington Post and was celebrating the 15th anniversary of the store. He had just welcomed the 1,500th tour bus to the Elma location. For a guy who started with a few boxes of American-made nails and some hand tools, he had built an empire of 15,000 products.
His family—including his fiancé Linda and his children Bryan, Jake, Zack, and Jessie—has kept the mission alive. They had to. The store isn't just a shop anymore; it’s a destination for people who feel like the world has forgotten how to build things.
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Why the "100% American" Rule is Actually a Nightmare
You’ve probably seen "Assembled in USA" labels. Mark hated those. He called them a "halfway house."
Running the Mark Andol Made in America Store meant being a private investigator. You’d think finding a hammer made in the U.S. would be easy. It isn't. Sometimes the steel is from here, but the handle is imported. Or the hammer is perfect, but the plastic blister pack it comes in was made in a factory in Shenzhen. Mark would reject those.
- The Slinky Rule: He famously stocked the Slinky because it’s still made in Pennsylvania.
- The Jeans Struggle: Finding denim where the rivets, zippers, and thread are all domestic is a constant battle.
- The Flag Irony: It drove him nuts that most American flags were made overseas. He made sure every single one in his store was 100% domestic, from the grommets to the dye.
Because of these strict standards, the store became a lifeline for tiny manufacturers. We’re talking about mom-and-pop shops in Wisconsin making work boots or a small outfit in Wyoming making cowboy hat racks. By 2026, the store supports over 500 independent American manufacturers.
More Than Just a Shop in Elma
The flagship store at 1000 West Maple Court in Elma is a weird, wonderful place. It’s part warehouse, part museum, and part community center. Before he passed, Mark was basically the unofficial Mayor of American Manufacturing. He’d stand out front and greet the tour buses himself.
He didn’t care where you were from. He even had tourists from China stop by on their way to Niagara Falls. They wanted to buy "real" American products because they knew the quality was better. Kinda ironic, right?
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But the business grew way beyond that one old car dealership.
- Niagara Falls: They opened a huge 1,500-square-foot spot right by the Rainbow Bridge.
- Depew: A second stand-alone brick-and-mortar location in a former bank.
- Online: During the 2020 lockdowns, their e-commerce business exploded by 1,000%.
People were sitting at home realizing that if the ships stopped coming, we didn't even have our own N95 masks or computer chips. Mark had been screaming about that for a decade. Suddenly, he didn't look so crazy.
The Economics of a $20 Hammer
Let’s be real for a second. You can go to a big-box store and buy a screwdriver for $3. At Mark’s store, it might be $12.
Mark’s whole argument—which he took to CNN and every podcast that would listen—was about "common sense economics." He’d tell you that $3 screwdriver is actually more expensive. How? Because when you buy the cheap one, you’re "voting" to send a job overseas. When those jobs leave, the tax base in your town dries up. The schools get worse. The roads get potholes.
He didn't want a handout. He didn't even necessarily want people to buy American out of charity. He wanted people to buy it because it lasted longer and kept their neighbors employed. He used to say, "Manufacturing is the heart of America." When he lost his contracts in 2007, he felt like the country was having a heart attack.
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What Happens Now?
The legacy of the Mark Andol Made in America Store is currently at a crossroads in 2026. The family is pushing forward with Mark’s 2025 goals: expanding wholesale partnerships so other retailers can carry 100% U.S. goods and fighting the "skilled trades shortage."
Mark was big on the idea that not everyone needs a four-year degree. He wanted kids to become welders and machinists again. He saw the stigma against "blue-collar" work as a national security threat.
If you're looking to support the mission, there are a few things you can actually do that go beyond just "buying a shirt."
- Check the "Full" Label: Don't just look for the flag. Look for "100% American Made." If the packaging doesn't say it, it probably isn't.
- Visit the Flagship: If you're near Buffalo, go to Elma. It's an experience. They still give a 10% discount to veterans and active-duty military.
- Wholesale Support: If you own a small shop, look into their wholesale program. It's how they're getting these products into towns that don't have a dedicated Made in America Store.
- Educate the Next Gen: Talk to kids about trade schools. Mark’s company, General Welding & Fabricating, still stands as proof that you can build a life with your hands.
The "David vs. Goliath" story Mark started in 2010 didn't end when he died in 2025. It just became more important. Buying American isn't just a political statement or a nostalgia trip—for Mark Andol, it was the only way to ensure there’s an economy left for our kids to inherit.
Actionable Insights for Supporters:
To truly follow Mark's mission, start by auditing one category in your home—like kitchen tools or lawn equipment. Research brands like Liberty Tabletop (flatware) or Council Tool (axes) that maintain the 100% domestic standard Mark fought for. Supporting these specific manufacturers directly impacts the survival of specialized American factories.