Story Behind the Flags
Decades of Flag Dedication
The Flag Guys is now proudly 100% woman-owned under Kathy Carroll, who took over from her cousin Al Cavalari to carry on the family tradition. Kathy brings 25 years of business experience and the same commitment to quality and personal service that has defined this company since day one.
For almost 50 years, The Flag Guys has been serving customers across the United States with quality flags, flagpoles, and accessories.
The business began in New Windsor, New York in 1977, when Al Cavalari Sr. started selling flags from his law office. On January 26, 1981, his son Al joined the business under unforgettable circumstances. The American hostages had just been released from Iran and were arriving at Stewart Airport before traveling to West Point. Al stocked up on stick flags from a factory in New Jersey and set up a table near the Thruway bridge over Route 207. He sold a ton of flags that day and continued selling them for more than 40 years.
If you visited our old website, you may have noticed it was something of a time capsule. Built during the early days of e-commerce and maintained for nearly three decades, it reflected everything Al and Pauline put into the business: years of knowledge, honest answers, and personal service.
Our new website has a fresh look and is easier to use, but the commitment behind it has not changed. The Flag Guys is still family-owned, and you will still receive knowledgeable, personal service from a real person. We even have the same phone number.
Then vs. Now
Then: The Early Days (1977–2023)
- ●Operated from a brick-and-mortar store in New Windsor, NY
- ●Orders were placed by phone, mail, or in person
- ●Every order was handled and shipped personally
- ●Served local customers while steadily growing a regional and national customer base
- ●Al built one of the web’s earliest flag etiquette resources
Now: The Flag Guys Today
- ●No longer a brick-and-mortar store, but still providing the same personal service
- ●Modern e-commerce storefront serving customers nationwide
- ●Thousands of flags, flagpoles, and accessories available through our online catalog
- ●Orders and questions are still handled by a real person, not a call center
- ●Decades of customer and order history are still available, so we can often look back at what you purchased years ago
- ●Shipping from Slate Hill, NY
- ●Woman-owned and operated by Kathy Carroll
- ●Al’s flag etiquette archive is still part of the website and continues to be updated
Why The Flag Guys?
In Business Since 1977
Nearly 50 years of flag expertise. We've answered the questions, solved the problems, and earned the trust — one customer at a time.
Made-in-USA Flags
Every U.S. flag we sell is proudly American-made. We've held this standard since 1977 and we're not changing it.
Customer-Focused
Real people answer the phone. No bots, no 1-800 runaround. If you have a question, call us — we'll take the time to help you get it right.
Real Expertise
Decades of product knowledge, plus Al Cavalari's flag etiquette archive — one of the most-cited flag protocol resources on the web.
