Thomas K. Chaffee opened the business to supply oil-based paint, “Chaffee’s Mill White,’’ as an alternative to whitewash. His customers were the numerous textile mills, then common in this region. As soon he added roofing products, he adopted the slogan “Make it White, Make it Tight with Chaffee.’’ Barrels of paint were brought up by barge from New Jersey and then moved to the warehouse at 87 Globe Street, Providence, by horse and team.