Old houses and hardware stores

[Stinky The Clown]

Someone alluded to this in another thread. I know it to be true and wanted to post it on its own.

If you have an old house with old equipment in it, get to know your local hardware store instead of the local big box. The local hardware store probably has all manner of bits and geegaws to maintain your old house. Over the years we were able to maintain our old, solid brass, washer type faucets with new stems and handles and washers.

Old electrical service? I can't recall seeing 15 or 20 amp fuses at Home Depot or Lowes.

Window weights?

Sash cord?

Broken fireplace damper handle?

Give them a try. I am always amazed at what they pull from a dusty shelf. Our local guy was originally in the center of town. They have since moved twice. Their current store is as big as the Home Depot and has none of the cache of the old downtown store. But it is still family run - fourth generation - and still stocks all that old stuff. Over the years they were a mom and pop. They have been in various coops, like Best and Do-It and for the last many years, Ace.

[Warpy]

1. We went through a 20 year hardware store drought in this town

and although Ace is starting to open up neighborhood stores, they're brand new and no one's managed to find the old stock of the last hardware store that closed in this town shortly after I moved here.

I'm glad to see them, though, because it means I can just pop in and get what I want without having to trudge through acres of stock to find it.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

2. Yes don't let the Ace or True Value signs fool you

those places are still mom & pop. Replacing valve stems in those old faucets-they got them. I have to keep reminding myself if we don't patronize those old hardware stores,there won't be any left. It's not all about new construction at those old neighborhood hardware stores -it about whats there in the neighborhood and whats been there all along !

Down that avenue that are also stores that buy up all old house fixtures ,windows-doors most anything from demolition or remodel of those old homes. We have one here called Restore-or restoration of your old house.Where you can buy old windows-casings and all or doors or most anything you need-so it's viable business. We usually bring them in so that the good stuff doesn't end up in the dumpster -the shame that is. Far better to donate that stuff than it is to see it go to waste. You would find such a place under used building materials in the phone book.And good deals too.

They are happy to remove too ,so we don't stick our crow bars or demo saws in there !

[Warpy]

4. I know the franchises are locally owned

but it's been 20 years since the last dusty hardware store that had stock dating from the clap of creation closed down.

Ace does try to find odd items and will have them Fed Exed in from other stores, though.

[pipoman]

3. Yep

I sold wholesale hardware for a few years. Even if the store is newer, many of these items are available to the store through their supplier. The problem with some of these newer stores is that nobody at the store really knows how to use the catalog..it takes practice and sometimes diligence to find some of the more obscure items.