Our Story

Josh & his dog Sedge, shortly after they settled in Maine in 1995.

FORCED FROM THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN INDUSTRY IN THE EARLY 90’s DUE TO ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, Joshua Bate took a position with a company that had just opened its first retail outlet in the northeast, Home Depot. It was a great opportunity to acquire buying skills and broad-based product knowledge, and it appeared to provide excellent career potential as the company was such a fast rising star in the retail “Home Improvement” market.

Having previously been happily self-employed, Josh found working in the fast-expanding, predatory retail corporate environment extremely trying. His entrepreneurial spirit sought a niche that might get him back working for himself again.

After assisting a Bermudian in early 1992, Josh was surprised when, a week later, another Bermudian and his young family came asking for him. He was amazed that this family had heard of him personally, flown to Newark, stayed at the Marriott, rented a car, and driven 25 miles to have him, personally take care of their purchasing needs.

Josh soon realized that Bermuda residents in need of Appliances and building materials were not getting the best value when purchasing through existing local retailers. After learning more about Bermuda’s families, and their shopping limitations, he began to make contacts, and right as he started, Home Depot told him to stop. He started Joshua Bate Trading from his kitchen table in New Jersey shortly thereafter. Seen as a renegade by some, the company quietly, largely by word of mouth, grew. We gained a reputation for being able to source just about any major purchase at very fair and favorable terms.

No longer at the kitchen table in New Jersey, the US office is located on the bank of the Kennebec River, in Phippsburg, Maine. All goods are purchased in the US, then delivered to New Jersey to travel by ship or by plane to Bermuda, depending on the circumstances.

In 2011, JBTB became the authorized GE, Hotpoint & Monogram dealer in Bermuda and opened up their first retail showroom called “BATE’S.” Now able to meet the immediate needs of customers by stocking GE Appliances, sourcing all brands of appliances in additions to hundreds of other product lines, is still the mainstay of the business.

Due to the growing demand for qualified and reliable appliance technicians on the island, Josh started “BQS – Bate’s Quality Service” in 2014. With the help of the government, he was able to send two Bermudians to technical school in the states as well as arrange an internship for “on the job training” with a senior technician in New England. As BQS continues to grow, so does the opportunity to provide education and work experience to Bermudians interested in the service field.

In 2015, when one of the largest and longest running appliance dealers in Bermuda closed their doors without notice, many appliance manufacturers naturally approached Joshua Bate Trading for representation. Since then, the BATE’S team has become the authorized distributors for Sub-Zero, Wolf, Asko, Haier, Scotsman & Best Hoods . . . and there are surely more to come. (2021 UPDATE: BATE’S no longer supplies Sub-Zero, Wolf, Asko, Haier, Scotsman or Best Hood products.)

2017 marks the year BATE’S moved back to Marsh Lane in Devonshire, and Mattresses were added to the expanding list of product lines to become Bermuda’s exclusive authorized dealer for Sealy.

While competition comes and goes in Bermuda, Joshua Bate Trading Bermuda Ltd. is rock solid. Josh’s staff at BATE’S, BQS and in the US office all continue to work hard . . . and play harder. Each with their own unique story, they all strive to be the best . . . which is why they’re the strongest team in the business!