Old Hardware Store Finds

[fm2176]

Since finding some Channellock stuff on clearance at a True Value a couple of weeks ago, I've started visiting some older hardware and building supply stores. All are in small-town Georgia and I'll post my thoughts and finds below.

Downs' Lumber and Supply (Hinesville): located in a low-traffic residential area, but the guy who works there told me that many regular customers still go there instead of Lowes or the new Tractor Supply. Found some NOS Irwin USA locking clamps behind some China versions, and there was a little bit of everything crammed into a store the size of Dollar General.

Pembroke Hardware (Pembroke): right on the main street in an old building, this store has been around for a while. They have an ancient pair of HK Porter bolt cutters used to cut chain to length but the tool section is mostly imported stuff now. I bought a NOS Irwin USA Vise-Grip there last year, and a Vaughan hammer last week. There is no telling what might be found with some digging, though, as there are shelves that look like they were last touched in the Thirties.

Lumber City Hardware (Lumber City): another very old Main Street building. Very nicely arranged tool section with mostly newer tools, but you never know what's hidden. The dog started barking (yes, I heard him a block away through thick masonry), and I had no desire to deal with Roscoe P. Coltrane on a Saturday morning, so I bought some T-50 staples and left. I may stop back in on Tuesday.

Lumber City Hardware (McRae): spaced out and with everything from garden supplies to ammunition. I wandered around for a little while before buying a set of Channellock 927 pliers. Found the same ones at Home Depot for @ $7 less, but glad to give my money to a small business.

Abbeville Building Supply (Abbeville): yet another very old building in the once-thriving downtown. The tools are mostly behind the counter but I did find a NOS Irwin USA locking clamp tucked away. The rest of the store seems neatly organized and pretty well stocked for the small town builder or handyman.


Anyway, that's it for now. I missed the older Wells' Hardware location in Cordele by five minutes yesterday, getting there at 1:05pm. They have a newer store near Wal-Mart which I may stop by if they're open today. Chas-Mar in McRae seems decent but lacks the old-school feel of the others I mentioned. If I have time I may check out what Americus has to offer.

Please share your local hardware stores, if desired I can get pics of at least the exteriors of the ones I've visited.

 

[bonneyman]

Most of the older, mom-and-pop style of hardware stores are gone around here. Last one - a Bimsco - closed about a year and a half ago. Made out well going in there during their winding down closeout days.

Seeing more and more of the quality surplus and thrift stores closing these days. Doesn't bode well for the future. Just glad I have most of the necessary items on my bucket list.

Thought here is this Christian rehab ministry that runs a thrift store, and they just opened another location. Usually find good quality stuff in there. And the prices are reasonable. The silver lining!

 

[shanny19]

It's both funny and sad i guess, but just like you, I always head for the Vise Grip and look for USA in a small survivor hardware store. Not really to scoop them up, but just as an indicator of what else might be hiding.

It might be a function of living in the PNW, where mom-and-pops have much easier access to wholesale, but in my neck of the woods, the small time lumberyards have survived Lowes and HD much better than the small hardware stores. So far. And it can be amazing what they have on the pegboard. One near me has Stanley inventory that probably AVERAGES late-80's in vintage. I've also learned to hit up small welding supply stores, lots of NOS Proto & SK hiding there sometimes.

 

[woody 73]

My memory is slipping a little, but a few years back I found a hole in the wall old hardware store in central Ohio. Darn thing was filled to the wall with tons of items covered in layers of dust, and every dead animal on wall mounts up on every wall. you had to be a trapeze artist just to be able to walk around. Now my eyes and brain were going into overdrive as I thought woody you just hit the mother lode of gold...

Turns out every item in that old hardware store came from China. The old owner sold out and the new owner had to replace everything with stock coming from china; oh the look on my face that day could have sunk a battleship.

 

[fm2176]

It does **** to venture into a dusty old building only to find a bunch of new MIC tools. I guess that existing NOS doesn't last forever, but it sure would be nice to stumble across a store that hasn't had a major restock in twenty years.

Down here in rural Georgia, a number of old hardware stores, lumber yards, and even general stores have survived, no thanks to the big box stores that have moved into most towns that have more than one stoplight. All of the locations I've recently visited, except Downs in Hinesville and Wells in Cordele, are in communities without a Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[jeffmoss26]

We are fortunate to still have a number of old time hardware stores here in Cleveland. While there are a lot fewer stores than we used to have, I am still able to find a good amount of stuff.

 

[22george]

Mendleson's in Dayton Ohio is supposed to have a lot of old stuff

 

[carcajou]

Hey, if any of you find a store with NOS Proto sockets can you send me a pm with their phone number? I can't seem to find what i need on EBAY. Thanks

 

[Tarnished]

Mendleson's in Dayton Ohio is supposed to have a lot of old stuff

Mendleson's does have a lot of "OLD STUFF", but not so much in the way of hardware type stuff. if your looking for the odd ball nut or bolt or electrical part they may have what your looking for, but plan on spending hours trying to find it. No real organization at all, just odd lots of random surplus. Been many times, have yet to make it worth while. Your usage may vary.
Most of the old hardware stores of our memory are gone from this S.E. Ohio area now also. Sad

 

[jd_1138]

I think 99% of the average clientele only buys based on price, so most will grab the Ace Hardware branded Chinese **** before paying double for a USA made NOS item. Here in Youngstown, Ohio area, there are still mom and pop hardware stores with old USA made NOS.

And they have free coffee. I love these places and the old ways they represent. Big box stores can **** it.

 

[dede2897234]

Mendleson's does have a lot of "OLD STUFF", but not so much in the way of hardware type stuff. if your looking for the odd ball nut or bolt or electrical part they may have what your looking for, but plan on spending hours trying to find it. No real organization at all, just odd lots of random surplus. Been many times, have yet to make it worth while. Your usage may vary.
Most of the old hardware stores of our memory are gone from this S.E. Ohio area now also. Sad

Tarnished,

Have you found any worthy NOS hand tools at Mendleson's in the past?


Thanks,

Dave

 

[dede2897234]

I think 99% of the average clientele only buys based on price, so most will grab the Ace Hardware branded Chinese **** before paying double for a USA made NOS item. Here in Youngstown, Ohio area, there are still mom and pop hardware stores with old USA made NOS.

And they have free coffee. I love these places and the old ways they represent. Big box stores can **** it.

jd_1138,

I will probably be in the Youngstown area in late spring.

Can you please list the names and addresses of a few mom and pop hardware stores in your area?


Thanks,

Dave

 

[PugetDude]

One near me has Stanley inventory that probably AVERAGES late-80's in vintage.

PM me with the location?
(I haven't found much near me.)

 

[FullRaceMerc]

Someone pointed out Harry J. Epstein Co. in Kansas City, MO awhile back when I was complaining about missing the old stores. Yeah, it seems odd to find old time hardware on a website, but since they have pretty much disappeared around here, it was about as close as it gets anymore.

 

[Tarnished]

Tarnished,
Have you found any worthy NOS hand tools at Mendleson's in the past?
Thanks,
Dave

Dave,
I have not. Mendelson's dosen't have any hand tools or any other tools at all really. Lots of reject file cabinets, machine motors and controllers of all kinds. Well used restaurant equipment. Odd ball switches, electrical boxes, resistors, that sort of thing. All just piled on endless rows of dark shelves. Not much the average guy can use. And pretty picked over.
They have a store fixture building, but again, not much the average guy would find a use for. Sorry.
Like everyone else, I have been complaining about all the big box stores running all the Mon&Pop's out of business. If they don't have what your looking for, only place left is on line! We try to buy better quality stuff, but it is getting really hard to find anymore. Most are happy with the chicom junk, and the young kids don't really know any better quality. Never seen it.
As long as the cheap stuff sells, I don't see any change coming soon.

 

[fm2176]

Okay, so visited a few other stores on Saturday and on my way back today:

Wells Hardware (Cordele, newer 16th St location): well-stocked, but nothing of note in the tool section.

Wells Hardware (Cordele, old 8th St bldg): NICE selection of Milwaukee stuff, decent tool section in general but no NOS that I noticed.

Telfair-Wilcox Hardware (McRae): A relative mother lode of US tools. They had a bunch of Crescent wrenches in black packaging, some Vise-Grip bar clamps, and a bunch of other NOS stuff. I paid under $6 for a Made in USA Nichols No. 417 tool holder; they had a CLC version also Made in USA--I found the Chinese versions at other stores. The odd thing was that an older guy sitting behind the counter asked me if I wanted a business in the area after a conversation. I didn't go into depth but may inquire more on a future visit. By far my favorite store so far.

Handy Andy's (Hazelhurst): some NOS Vise-Grip nut pliers, and they actually had a T-25 stapler (I got one when I was around 8 that was stolen, but just got the T-2025 a few weeks ago). Nice store with friendly employees.

H&H Home Supply (Hazelhurst): nicely laid out, and where I FINALLY found what sparked this obsession...the Channellock 909 crimper. There was only one hanging on the peg, though. They also had some Spanish Channellock adjustable wrenches and a very nice tool section.

Bob's Do It Best (Baxley): decent store that culminated my heretofore unmentioned Channellock search. I never knew Channellock branded so many things from staple guns to 12v impacts. There were a number of NOS Vise-Grip 7WRs on the pegs and some other US-made tools. I picked up the 911 cable cutters to further my victory over the little-seen 909s, and noticed they had about four of the latter. I also paid $5 for a Chinese-made Channellock bottle opener to compare it against my Taiwan Milwaukee and USA Craftsman versions.


Well, that's it for this trip. I made a point to buy at least something from every store. Telfair-Wilcox is by far the most interesting, but all have their own unique feel. As for the Channellock, it became a sort of game. I could have easily gone online and gotten them shipped for less, but my money has gone to some local small businesses instead. I'll be revisiting many of these stores in the future, and met a number of good small town Americans this past weekend.

 

[elmwood]

Anything in Western or Central New York? I'm in Ithaca, where its just big boxes, Ace, and True Value. Tool culture is nonexistent here; it's a very white collar town.. It's not much better in nearby Cortland, which is the anti-Ithaca - very blue collar.

 

[fm2176]

Anything in Western or Central New York? I'm in Ithaca, where its just big boxes, Ace, and True Value. Tool culture is nonexistent here; it's a very white collar town.. It's not much better in nearby Cortland, which is the anti-Ithaca - very blue collar.

I have no idea, but a close friend grew up in that area, so I can ask him.