Category Archives: Hardware Store Life

Hardware Store Life

Customer Service and a new tv…

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Ok, I have a bit of a story to share, so this maybe a long one folks. A few weeks ago we decided to switch our tv service up, & in the process of learning about this new system we were looking at, the discovery was made that our tv HDMI ports were not working😩. A new tv was on the horizon for us to purchase sooner than later.

Richard checked prices online and then we decided to “store shop” and make a purchase. This was not supposed to take weeks!!!! Well, it has….

Our first big box store shopping experience was shocking. Only 5 of the TVs were on in the electronics section of the store. We asked about a specific model, could they turn it on- the response was “no”and a way far out tale of why they couldn’t turn them on… A manager complaint soon followed after we left the store.

After the first store experience, we decided to wait until after we returned from the Chicago Hardware Show before we made the tv purchase… to be continued

Big box store number 2 the service was lackadaisical. We asked about a specific tv, he went to see if they had it and returned and said “no we don’t have it” and pretty much walked away. 😳

Big Box Store 3 we never saw a sales person… tv we thought we might like was not in stock, left this store our options were quickly running out! 😩

Our final redemption of good customer service came at the last store we visited. Thank you Noah!!! He walked right up after we had looked around for a few minutes, asked us what we were looking for, price range, brand preferences… you name it, he covered it all! He was so helpful. Y’all, this young man got it right!!! The great customer service didn’t end there. Our tv was not carried by us to our car… no way- these folks placed inside the vehicle and did it with a smile. Amazing experience!!!!!

Before we arrived at the last store, we were dismayed at quality of service at every store we had been to, really this should not be a hard task!!! 😳

So what is the point? I’m not really sure why people are flocking to the box stores to get service that is substandard. We often hear from our customers that, “I can never get anyone to help me at …., I know you guys can help me”. At Wilkes County Hardware our customers are valued, we wish to meet their needs or try to find alternative solutions if we cannot help them out with a specific product.

Carry out to car is a great way help our customers with larger items that maybe heavy or bulky. We never want our customers to feel the way we felt as we shopped for a that new tv.

Our goal at Wilkes County Hardware is to follow the pattern of great customer service that Noah beautifully modeled: listen, ask questions, offer solutions, wait time for decision making, & follow through on purchase (carry out- if needed or requested) all in a polite manner.

Thank you for shopping local!!!! We appreciate your support 😊😉.,

family fun, Hardware Store Life, memories, supper

Supper vs. Dinner

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Sometimes in conversation as I remember talking to my Granny at the end of the day, I would ask her what they both had for dinner. As she began to talk about her meal, I soon realized that she was referring to her mid-day meal, not her evening meal. My vocabulary was not the same as hers. I quickly learned that her view of supper/dinner was different from mine. Does it matter? Well, I guess it is all about perspective.

A major NC magazine in our state just recently published an article about Sunday Suppers. It was well done. I’m not going to rehash the intent of that article. But, it did bring back up all those supper/dinner conversations that I had with my granny came to my mind when I read the article.

So upon reflection, I began to ponder my usage of “dinner”. I use the term “dinner” all the time to gather my family to the table, but the reality is that we really are seated for “supper” instead.

Why supper??? The word supper is less formal. Dinner can be a full fledged event with fancy dinner napkins, china, etc. But, when we gather at home, it is not a formal affair. Our family is blessed to have passed down to us, the antique farm table that was in my mother-in-law’s kitchen. The table is definitely not formal by any means, and it is the only table around which we gather to eat. At this farm table we engage in the conversations about the day, hold discussions about local events/news, and let the puns roll. (Our form of making our son roll his eyes 👀 at us.). Supper at our house is a time to simply gather, eat together & unwind from the day.

This was modeled well in my family as a young child growing up. All four of us always ate together at the table in the kitchen. As they say, “old habits die hard”. Meals gathered as our family unit or shared with friends are a strong part of my memories of home.

Now in present day, the weekends are probably the most relaxing suppers we get to have as a family unit. Saturday evening supper is probably one of my favorite times. This tends to be the meal when we can relax, kick back at the end of the day. Saturday supper tends to be one of our Traeger nights- smoking a good piece of meat, or grilling up fish, or whatever is on sale at the grocery store! Do you guys do that too???

Saturday supper doesn’t have to be all fancy, high dollar meals that breaks your budget 💵. Sometimes supper is quite simple at our house–homemade chili beans, or biscuits in a Lodge skillet & country ham, maybe even soup and Traeger grilled cheese sandwich, or lastly, a crockpot meal that we all love.

So I guess when I call my family to say, “dinner is ready”, I really mean supper because that equates to family time. 😊

Happy Supper Saturday y’all !!!

Hardware Store Life

Shop Local

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Friday evening our local community was humming with activities. Downtown North Wilkesboro hosted the Art Gallery Walk. People were everywhere in the downtown area visiting the gallery, & the downtown stores were full of great artists. Many good friends and customers took time to stop into our store to say hello to us & watch Keegan Watson work wonders with wood!!! Thank you!!!! Richard & I had fun visiting with everyone & thank you for shopping local.

A significant trend that I noticed as people were shopping in our store Friday night, most folks purchased locally made products!!! Wow!!!! I know that our local artisans/entrepreneurs will be thrilled to hear this news. Thank you for building up our community with your purchase.

Community… yes, when we shop local we directly impact our economic growth in our local community. Did you know that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned business, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers, and farms — further strengthening the economic base of the whole community? What a difference that makes!!!!

As I drove home late Friday evening, I came through Wilkesboro. My heart was full already, the day had been good… then I turned and looked… more community in action… in the Wilkesboro Commons was an outdoor movie playing, games,& other family fun activities. My smile widened, community building in action in both towns in the same night. Let’s keep this momentum going strong. Thanks for shopping local & building our community into a fabulous place to live.

bucket list, family fun, Hardware Store Life, Shop Local, Summer

Summer Bucket List

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Small town life is charming to some people, but maybe a little dull to others because they feel like they are missing out on something.

We truly live in a great community and the positives are many. We have many great places places to visit within our county boundaries. This Summer “Bucket List” is good whether you are vacationing this summer or just simply doing a “staycation”. Many items on the list are plain family fun things to do. I hope you enjoy the list😎. Have a great summer!!!

Summer Bucket List: Written from a business owner perspective…

1. Eat local- check out lunch at a food truck or enjoy a locally owned restaurant

2. Check out Concerts in the Commons, Wilkesboro

3. Just grill… enjoy food with your family – want to switch up your grill? Check out Traeger at Wilkes County Hardware

4. Go to an Outdoor movie- 🎥 in North Wilkesboro coming soon

5. Stroll and shop in Downtown North Wilkesboro – start shopping at Wilkes County Hardware, then walk around 10th Street and up to Main Street- you avoid the hills around town… 👍🏻

6. Do a family game night- board games & card games are great for the whole family 🤪

7. S’mores & Fire 🔥 Pit time!!

8. Make homemade ice cream!!

9. Check out the splash pad in Wilkesboro

10. Stroll on 10th Street & other Downtown streets for the Art Walk in July!

11. Play flashlight 🔦 tag

12. Ride in your car 🚘 with the windows down and enjoy your music 🎶 playing

13. Go to Glen’s to get a chocolate dip cone- it is a classic treat

14. Enjoy a nice afternoon at Wilkes Heritage Museum to learn more about the history of our community

15. Catch fireflies after dark or just stargaze

16. Spend the day at Stone Mountain

17. Visit the Farmers Market on Saturday morning

18. Visit one of our local vineyards, we have some beautiful & scenic places here in Wilkes

19. Don’t miss the Annual July 4th fireworks 💥, find a spot downtown to sit and watch the fireworks show with family & friends

20. Draw with sidewalk chalk and just have fun😄

21. Go fishing 🎣 -Kerr Scott lake views are priceless

22. Walk or Bike 🚲 the Greenway

23. For peace, relaxation & serenity- find the Labyrinth at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

24. Hold an outdoor game night for friends & family

Lastly…

25. Enjoy the summer breeze when it comes & the mountain views- everyone else doesn’t have the same opportunities

Happy Summer! Create your own “bucket list” or DIY list for summer. We hope to see you soon fulfilling all of your summer wishes.

challenges, Hardware Store Life, seashells, Transitions in Life

The Oyster Shell 🐚

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I love walking on the beach. Picking up seashells is one of the most relaxing tasks that I could simply do all day. Richard will always say, “don’t you have enough shells 🐚 already at home”? I always give an explanation of what I plan to do with another new batch of seashells and he relents.

One of my favorite shells to collect is an oyster shell. I’m not really sure how my fascination with this specific shell began, but I seem to have many of these in my shell collections.

So why am I sharing this information with you today? Life’s journey is very much like the seashell. Sometimes we get battered by the sand, wind, storms, waves crashing over the shells with fierce power. It doesn’t seem like an end is in sight….

We all have those stormy times in our lives where nothing appears to be going well and it seems that the storms will never end. Once the “weather” begins to clear, you can see/feel smooth places on the 🐚 shell… all better from the “wear” of the stormy weather. Of course you might find some rough edges along the seashell from the storm. Upon continued inspection, if the oyster shell is intact, the grit from the sand has helped to create a beautiful pearl…. alas the struggle of the storm, creating a lasting goodness & beauty.

As business owners, the “stormy struggles” can be quite real. For example, some months are much slower in the hardware business than others. We must be ready to “ride the waves” through to the other side. “No grit, no pearl” as they say….

In the past few weeks, a major retailer with a huge local impact in our hometown, has just announced another round of shifting/job changes, & layoffs. The “stormy season”for many local folks is just beginning to unfold.

My hope is that a goal of our local leadership will be able to minimize the impact of these job losses and strive for greater economic diversity within our community, bringing more businesses to our area, and created “a pearl”.

As local business owners, we have been given a unique opportunity to reach out to our local community and connect with them in new ways. Those who were accustomed to going to the “box retailer” may begin to shift ideology and visit our stores. Are we ready to connect with these new folks??? It is time for us to remember this age old phrase, ” the world is your oyster, you are the pearl”…

Our mission at Wilkes County Hardware, treating our customers like pearls 😊, a rare & precious find .