Burke’s Home Center: A New Era With Familiar Faces

From Left to Right: Tom and Chuck Handley, Chris Rinoldo, Jeff McGann, Jason Rinoldo

OSWEGO – After 97 years in the Burke-Handley family, Burke’s Home Center will undergo an ownership change, as Tom and Chuck Handley, the great-grandchildren of the establishing owner T.J. Burke, are selling the family business to a trio of former employees.

The new owners, Jason and Christopher Rinoldo and Jeffrey McGann worked together at Burke’s as students in the late 1980s and into the early 1990s. Because of that and their dedication to keep Burke’s in business as a community-focused store – like it was for much of the last century – the Handley’s were driven to sell.

“Them being in the local community, highly thought of businessmen in the local community, is really what got us to do it,” Chuck said. “Our biggest concern was that we wanted to keep this business going. We didn’t want to sell and close it or have it [be] something else.”

As for the new owners, it was that community feel that drove them to buy Burke’s.

“We have always seen Burke’s as more than just a store,” Jason shared in a press release. “It’s a legacy, a commitment to our community, and a testament to the Handley family’s vision. We are honored to continue this tradition and eager to usher Burke’s into a future where we not only honor its past but also embrace the innovations of the modern world.”

After their time together working at Burke’s, the trio split to create careers of their own. Jason eventually acquired RJ Caruso Tax & Accounting after earning a degree in accounting. Christopher is the operations manager at Brookfield Power. McGann spent nine years at Burke’s previously, working his way up to assistant manager, before founding his own construction company. More recently, he worked for the City of Oswego in multiple roles.

These separate journeys will help them bring different areas of expertise back to Burke’s, with Jason’s specialty in accounting, McGann’s in construction and Christopher’s in operations. The Rinoldos will maintain their other full-time careers, while McGann will work full-time at Burke’s, overseeing the day-to-day.

Looking towards the future is a major focus for Burke’s new trio, as the economic landscape has changed in a variety of ways. They intend to “expand services and offerings,” while maintaining strong ties with the local community, according to a press release. Both locations in Oswego County will remain open.

While there is an eye on the future, the community will not see the last of Chuck and Tom. The two have yielded their keys but will hang around to help their successors for as long as they need. The three new faces of Burke’s all agree, their expertise and years of knowledge will be vital through the transition process.

As Burke’s Home Center gets ready for its centennial in 2026, the community can expect to see some special things to celebrate. And although Tom and Chuck will not be the active owners of the store their great grandfather T.J. Burke opened up way back in 1926, they find comfort in who will be.

“Knowing that Burke’s is in the hands of individuals who have been a part of its journey for decades brings us immense comfort,” Tom said in a statement.

 

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