B&C Custom Hardware & Bath was founded in 1984 in Laguna Hills California by a collaboration of Milton and Doris Bates with Donald and Barbara Coster. Milt and Don were key figures in the world famous ACME Hardware of Los Angeles.  In the 1950’s ACME dominated California’s post –war boom supplying door hardware to thousands of suburban homes through out the state.  ACME also had a reputation as a “showroom to the stars”.  On any given day Hollywood’s elite could be sighted there shopping for specialty hardware and upscale plumbing items. Could it have been a mere coincidence that a famous 1960's cartoon coyote bought all his supplies from ACME to help him in his elusive quest to outsmart one very fast roadrunner?

Moving to Orange County to open B & C, the Bates and the Coster’s concept was simple-to offer their new customer base an assortment of the finest door hardware and decorative plumbing fixtures that could be obtained from anywhere in the world.  The concept was to offer this new customer base an assortment of the finest door hardware and decorative plumbing fixtures as could be obtained from around the world. Hand-picking the most experienced sales team possible from various specialties-B & C quickly established themselves as a prime resource for products and knowledge in the Southern California market.  This team in turn, trained the next generation of B & C's sales staff  B&C was quickly established as a prime resource for products and knowledge in the Southern California market.