Vintage Hardware Stores

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The neighborhood hardware store had everything.

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Hello! I'm Mr. Ed

Blog Created: 2-26-2021

Ahhh! The old-time hardware store. What a place to spend a Saturday afternoon. I'm not talking about the standard Ace Hardware. They are great! But the hardware stores of the pre-1960s, that where it was at.

Creaky wooden floors, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with turpentine...the smell, not the coffee. The old wooden shelving and racks full of everything you needed to do everything you needed to do.

Today we have so many tools and hardware items that have been invented in the last 20 or so years, and it's really great. But before 1970, for a society that had so much less, the hardware stores back then were packed full. It's strange. Of course, the hardware stores then were in smaller buildings so that probably counts for a lot of it. There were no big mega stores like Home Depot or Lowe's. The hardware stores back then were mostly in a small, scrunched together row of buildings.

When you entered the door, a whole new world opened up to you. An adult world, a man's world. Back then there were no women in hardware stores. It was a man's place. Rows of hammers and saws hung from pegboard hooks. You could find a tool for anything from fixing a lamp to building a house. If you wanted wood, you went to the lumber yard. If you wanted stone or rocks, you went to the gravel pit. But if you wanted tools or supplies, you headed down to the hardware store. That's just the way it was.

Tools at the time were made to last ~

If you can find these older tools today at a fair price, and they work...BUY THEM!

Hand tools of the times were large, heavy, bulky and hard to work with. But they would outlast any job.

You would stop at the hardware store on your way home from grocery shopping and the wife would stay in the car and listen to the radio. After all, why would she want to go into a hardware store any more than the man would want to visit the beauty parlor. (I'm not talking about today's men).

But men at that time would mostly go to the hardware store on Saturday alone...or with a male buddy. Men would also take their sons to get them used to the hardware store. This was a learning experience for them and a teaching moment. Boys had to learn what tools were all about and how to select the proper tool to do a job. And dad had to teach them.

In many hardware stores, free coffee was served and maybe a donut or cream stick. You could walk around checking out the merchandise while sipping coffee so strong it didn't need a cup. And the coffee cups were paper, not plastic or Styrofoam. Sure the cup was hot, but we were men for crying out load.

Showcases held all the smaller items such as screw driver sets, pocket knives and wrist and pocket watches. There was wooden or metal drawers than contained every size and type of nail, screw, bolt, nut and washer. There were steel washers, slip washers, flat washers, lock washers, rubber washers the list went on into the galuxy. There were flat screw drivers, Phillips screw drivers and nut drivers. Flat head hammers, ball peen hammers, tack hammer, sledge hammers and even chipping hammers. There was wood saws, cross-cut saws, hack saws and two-man saws. There was screws for wood, metal and masonary. Everything needed to do anything was at the hardware store.

In Akron, Ohio, there were two hardware stores that I remember well. One was the East Akron Hardware Company. The other was my favorite...Swan Hardware on South Arlington Street. I'm happy to report that Swan Hardware is still there at this writing. They have added on and the new addition is more modern. But the original "creaky floor" building is still there and in use. It's fabulous.

Another great hardware store is Henry Bierce Hardware right off of Tallmadge Circle in Tallmadge, Ohio. The building has been remodeled over the years but still retains the old-time hardware feeling.

The cabinets at the hardware stores held all the treasures.

The hardware was a good place to sit, lean back in the chair and tell your stories of the killer nail gun or the time that you fell off the ladder. It was touch and go there for awhile..

This was truly hardware Heaven.

I remember going to North Hill Hardware with my father in the 1950s and early '60s. My dad was very knowledgeable in electric, plumbing, carpentry and anything else he needed to know. He built a home in Cook Forest, Pennsylvania and several garages and was always working on something. He reloaded all his own ammunition for a large gun collection as well. We were always at the hardware store, lumber yard, gravel pits, etc. So I speak of the hardware store first hand.

At most hardware stores, the guy behind the counter was also the owner. And he knew everything there was to know about tools, materials, supplies, building, construction, adhesives, and the best way to bag that trout or buck during fishing and hunting seasons. He had to know because hardware stores also sold fishing and hunting licenses and gear.

In smaller towns and communities, it was the hardware store that issued building permits. If you wanted a good Zippo cigarette lighter, you didn't go to the drug store, you went to the hardware store. And you also got the lighter fluid and flints there as well. You could get glass cut to size for replacing windows, hinges for the door and the varnish to stain it with. There wasn't 750 different selections of paints. There was white, black, red, blue, green and yellow, plus a few more shades. But if you wanted purple-green with drab orange streaks, you had to do it yourself. But you could at least get the standard colors to start with.

There was a host of paints to buy as long as you just wanted the standard colors.

One of the displays that I loved most was the knives.

Another display that I liked was the Zippo cigarette lighters.

And who could forget that huge revolving parts bin in the corner.

The cool thing was that most old hardware stores had basements full of the other, more bulky items like fencing and things that didn't fit in upstairs. The basement was mostly dim lighted and dusty. But what fun it was going through all that stuff.

Most hardware stores were named after either the owner or the town. Such as, Bradford's Hardware or Thomas Hardware, Haydonville Hardware or Akron Hardware. And it seemed that the owners were always over 50-years old. I never saw an owner in his 20s or 30s.

But, it was the hardware store where you could, not only get tools and supplies, but you could get information on the best roll roofing to use for that shed roof or what rubber washer was the best to replace the wore one in the bathroom sink. And as far as wood stains, there was varnish. Varnish was the gold medel standard for just about any piece of furniture for indoors or out. And there was one brand of paint thinner. I needed paint thinner a few weeks ago and stopped at Lowe's. I have bought paint thinner for nearly my entire 70-years. So I saw the label and it read, "paint thinner". Cool! And even though it was $15.00 a gallon, I bought it. A gallon lasts me for years. But when I got it home and poured some into a small cup to soak my paintbrush, it was thick and came out looking like milk. I looked again at the label and, in small print, it says "brush cleaner". One, paint thinner does not look like milk. And two, paint thinner IS brush cleaner. They didn't have to change it. Plus I found it does not work anywhere as well as the old stuff. I was lucky to still have some in my old gallon and used it. So now I still have to get paint thinner and have no idea what to use this stuff for. Maybe creamer for my coffee.

Before you could look anything up on the internet, you would actually drive to the hardware store to ask questions. What a weird concept. Actually talking face-to-face with someone.

Hardware stores always had the friendly folks who could answer any question and give you tips on the latest items.

Back in the 1950s, the power tools were made with metal housings. There were no plastic tools. Plastic then was a fairly new concept and used mainly for Tupperware and crap that you threw away after a short time. Tools had to be heavy duty and strong. That's why you can still find tons of old power tools on the internet for sale today. They were made to last like most things then. Now, don't get me wrong, I like the lightness and ease of use with the new power tools. And I have many in my own workshops. But, I also still have my father's old metal cased tools and he died in 1967.

It was cool to go with your dad to look over the power tools at the hardware store. Hand tools were sort of like the Volkswagen while the power tools were the Cadillac. Plus power tools back then had cords that weighted as much as the whole tool does today. When you turned on a power tool from that period in both the sound and the vibration, you knew you were holding something special. Today if the power tool gets broke, you simply buy a new one. Back then that power tool could set you back a whopping $30 or more. That was a lot of cash then.

Hardware stores back then had great displays. Nowhere in the whole place could you find a plastic display or, even worse, a cardboard isle display unit. The displays then were made of metal or wood. And they had real glass, not plexiglass. I always enjoyed looking over the knife displays and the displays for cigarette lighters. Probably the two best known tool brands at the time was Black & Decker and the ever popular Stanley. You couldn't throw a Stanley hammer without hitting a Stanley user. And the same went for users of Black & Decker power tools.

Tricycles can be seen in the upper left of this hardware store interior. Notice the great old nail bins at the bottom where you would use a metal scooper to get out a bunch of nails and dump them on the scales to weigh them. Nails were then sold by the pound.

Western Auto Stores ~

One of the hardware stores that was famous back in those years was Western Auto. This store was geared toward the car and truck owner. They sold tires, batteries, seat covers and floor mats plus an array of other needed automotive items. But they also sold stoves, refrigerators, freezers, TVs, radios, record players, bicycles and hardware and tools. There were Western Auto stores all over the country. There's a great Western Auto store in Lodi, Ohio where my wife and I have bought things. Most of the Western Auto stores are gone now. That's too bad. You can still buy a good solid metal washtub there and other good American-Made merchandise. Plus you can still buy a plastic laundry basket if you need one.

The Western Auto stores were the upper crust of the hardware business back then.

Besides hardware and auto suppies, Western Auto also sold kitchen appliances and electronics.

I went with my parents to the Western Auto store many times in my youth.

I remember that most of the hardware stores also flew an American flag or, at least, had a flag emblem in the front window. But you must understand that tools and hardware supplies back then were all made in America. There were no Japanese or Chinese Yogomoto tools around here then. And if you were lucky enough to find a cheap Chinese hammer for 49c, the head came off with the first pound on the nail. So Americans bought American. That's the way it was.

Most hardware stores flew the American flag and was proud to do so.

And many of the stores had a really cool old delivery truck.

Plus, at hardware stores you made friends. Everyone back then at the neighborhood hardware store were nice. Everyone had something in common...tools! Construction! Whatever! So you could strike up a conversation with any of them. Then a few days later you saw on the TV news that that guy you were talking to at the hardware store killed seven people with an ax and you remembered that he was buying an ax that day. But, all in all, the folks at the local hardware store were good people.

Some hardware stores had gun and ammo counters. The guns were simply in the rack, no locks on them because no one ever stole one any back then. The ammo was stacked right behind the counter in the open. No safety measures because you didn't need any. Hardware stores sold high-powered rifles, smaller .22s and shotguns plus a selection of pistols and revolvers. They also sold the gun cleaning kits and paper targets. Many of the stores also had a collection of camping gear such as propane stoves, ice chests, folding chairs and tables plus tents. When you think about it, you could almost live your life with what the hardware stores stocked...almost!

Some hardware stores had a small showcase with candy bars and tiny bags of peanuts for sale for a penny to 5c. I never could understand why this showcase was always at the front by the large plate glass window so the sun could melt the chocolate candy bars. Plus somewhere in the store there was always a soda pop machine. In most cases it was a Coca Cola machine. Pop was a nickel. But you had to drink it there and give back the glass bottle so they could get the deposits. A few hardware stores even had a small lunch counter. I never had their sandwiches. I had a thing about eating food wherever they sold axle grease and deer urine. Many of the stores had peanut and gumball machines on or at the counters.

Many hardware stores had a candy counter also. The idea was that customers would stay longer and shop more if they had a snack to chew on while they were there. But the showcase in many cases were right by the large front plate glass windows and the sun made the candy soft and gooey. In this picture, notice the saw dust all over the floor. Many stores did this to soak up spills that may happen.

Other displays at the hardware store ~

And yes! They had things for the ladies like the cigarette holders in colors to match their outfits. And see, someone bought two of these.

For some reason, many of the hardware stores back then were made of brick or cement block. I really don't know why that was. Most businesses then allowed smoking. But the hardware store was a smoke chimney. I guess that's because most men smoked then and hardware store customers were mostly men. I can remember walking into the hardware store and instantly you knew some there was smoking a pipe, or worse, a cigar. But it was nothing to see someone looking over a bin of nails with a cigarette in their mouth and unknowingly dropping big ashes into the nail bin. With all the oily rags and old papers in the trash cans at these places back then, I always wondered why we never had a hardware store burn down around our area. Originally Hardware stores, like the saloons, had spittoons' at the counters. Thankfully by the time I was going to hardware stores, the spittoons' were gone. Language was another factor at the hardware stores back then. Vulgar language that is.

Assorted nails that could be found in any hardware store back in the 1930s through the 1950s.

These coin operated mechanical horse rides were all over towns everywhere.

To me, a visit to the hardware store was like going to an amusement park of sorts. There were no rides unless they had one of these coin-operated horses at the front of the store. But it was still a really cool place to be. I liked how the guy had that moving ladder behind the counter to retrieve items from the upper shelves. Sometimes, once up there, he remembered that the item was down the isle and would simply kick the countertop and roll on the ladder down to where it was. Some had a long stick with a hook on the end to reach high boxes and pull them down. Sometimes the guy would get hit in the face by the falling box. That was always a good reason to laugh.

The hardware store was just a neat place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Your dad got a new power drill and some bolts to repair your bike, and you got a Coke and a tiny bag of peanuts or a soft, warm candy bar. By golly, what could be better than that?

Looking back to those days now, I kind of wonder. If we knew how the future back then would play out, would we have not advanced the businesses and our everyday life? We are always talking about the "good old days". If they were so great, why have we changed so much over the years? Hardware stores today are cool enough. But they really don't have the feel of the stores back in the '50s and '60s. For some reason, today they are better lighted, they have more sunlight coming in and they seem cleaner and more well kept. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not. But I long for the old time hardware store the same as I miss the old hobby shops. I don't know, maybe if I could go back for a day and re-visit them, I may be happier with the places of today. But I really don't think so. When visiting one of them today that hasn't changed or is designed after the old stores, the feeling comes back and I try to stay there a little longer. Young people today don't know this feeling yet...but they will someday. As they age and begin to loose some of the places and things that they enjoy, that feeling will become all too real for them as well. But for us old farts, there's nothing we can do about it other than buying the plastic tools and walking around the cardboard display stands. But we can look on the internet for the "antique" items and we can look over the old pictures and let our memories take us back for a little while. When you think about it, our minds are time machines.