From the exterior view of Wilkes County Hardware most would just visually see an old, vintage hardware store. But these old walls within this building holds many stories. If you never wander inside, that’s probably all you would ever see. But once inside the hardware store, you are transported back into an earlier time, the gravitational pull of the inquisitive forces takes hold. The questions may begin and the walls reveal its past through the stories that Richard and I have come to know and love about 324 10th Street.
When you walk into Wilkes County Hardware, it is a step back into time… concrete floors that are authentic, wood stove for heat, all natural AC… doors open letting the wind blow in from front to back door.
Some stories are legends of sorts, while others are definitely true. Tall tales have been spun as folks have gathered in our space, sitting around the wood stove, and life events have unfolded inside this old hardware store. After all, the building dates back to the earliest years of 1900. These aging walls hold all the tales of our past.
Our historic hardware store is often a comfortable place for sharing and relating stories. Richard and I have been the keepers of these stories for ten years now. As a wise soul said recently, “nothing ruins a good story like the truth”, but truly these walls need to reveal a few of these stories. It is my hope that you will learn something new about our business on 324 10th Street that you didn’t really know until now…letting the pictures and captions tell the stories.
Here’s our building in 2015, it was a bit of maze as you entered…shortly after we purchased the hardware store. Every surface was lined with merchandise One of the first things that came from our home, initially, was a rocking chair that WE rocked our son in when he was a baby. Richard and I wanted to create a more “homey” /welcoming atmosphere inside our business.Harry spent everyday at WCH and many hours in the rocking chair. Richard and I loved him dearly and considered him to be our family.In memory of Harry💕, to read more about the rocking chair The Wooden RockerIn 2015, a good chunk of the front windows were covered over with pegboard. They used this area for hanging long handle tools. To make better use of our shelf space, Richard and I decided to uncover this area and use our space differently! My what a treasure we found!! These beautiful old doors!!! And MUCH needed light streaming in!!!Wayne worked diligently to get the old, vintage door lock working again. During the hot months of summer, we now open these doors for extra air flow. And it helps tremendously!!! All natural AC!!! This wood stove is a treat and a treasure during the winter months… keeping us warm. To learn more more about the history of the stove, use the link The Warmth & Sweetness of the Winter ChillMany folks have gathered to warm by the stove or even to sit by the stove. We have been told that a handshake deal was made inside the hardware store to begin Vannoy and Lankford Plumbing 🪠 many years ago. As good friends gather around the stove, ideas often emerge. Friday morning meetings are regularly held inside the hardware store now. Coffee, laughter, stories, and business matters are often central. It’s not just guys, I’m there quite often!🤪Friday morning Small Business Advisory Council in full force… this Friday group of minds spearheaded the process of creating a Downtown Merchants Association and eventually, the festival known as Spooktacular. This ladder spans the back wall of the hardware store… and yes, we use it every single day! Still working on researching this little gem.., more stories to be told later. One of the unique features of our “Old School Hardware Store” is the freight elevator. Secret being told, the remaining oral history that we have been given is a bit disjointed. So we have in earnest, started trying to track down some information about this elevator from the direct source… the company that built it, Park Elevator. Park Elevator is one of the oldest, independent elevator companies in the Southeast, dating back to 1898. Yes, the elevator still works! This was the original wall of owners as we were told… BUT… the far left gentleman… well, that was not Mr. Eller…revealed to us by his descendants when they visited us a few years back.This restored photograph arrived from Mr. EE Eller’s family. Now hangs in its rightful place on the owners wall. Read more here Mr. EE Eller, Chickens and Turkeys… Nothing but Clucking, Gobbling, and Plucking out the TruthWe always get lots of questions about why our picture isn’t up there, we feel it’s proper to wait until our time as hardware store owners is up to be up on the wall, keeping up and honoring the previous tradition. Pictured left to right ( Ellers, EE Eller Produce Company, Mr. Yates- began hardware store for his “friends” who were working in moonshine, Harvey Barlow hardware store/began locksmith business next door , Gerald Lankford continued Wilkes Hardware)Due to the impact that Mr. Eller had upon our community, dating back to 1904… we decided to honor the building’s heritage, by using the chicken as the basis of our hardware store logo.The Chicken HatWords truly can’t express the agony… a summer storm brought immense rain into our building in 2020. Days of cleanup and a tremendous outpouring of love… thanks to a wonderful group of friends who spent long hours helping us clean up the mess.Water entered the back door of our neighbors at the lock shop. Their front door was locked, and the water quickly piled up inside to knee deep…😬Our key desk was originally close to the lock shop which held a connected door. In 2015, we decided to move the key desk to its current location, near the back door. Harvey owned both businesses for many years. The connecting lock shop door was a revolving door that folks moved in and out of often prior to 2020. After the onset of Covid, and the massive flood event, access was closed.After the flooding event in the summer of 2020, Sandbags were placed under the connected lock shop door. We now use this area as needed retail space. We occasionally get folks in who wish to head towards that door… but they quickly find out, it is not accessible. Key desk current location! You may or may not notice differences in our brick at the back door, well, here’s the reason why… a runaway truck from the Lowe’s warehouse which sat up above us (looking out our back door)Look up the next time you drop in… see if you can find the tell-tell signs of the runaway truckSmashed right through our walls Ugh… The aftermath… And this happened on our D Street side several years later… Can you notice any differences in the brick??? We updated the side of D Street with our logo chicken , thanks to Andrea Baldwin for her artwork! A perfect photo opportunity!A lot of people are confused about the location of the original Lowe’s. The common misconception is that it was in our building. Looking out our back door, you can view the home of the original Lowe’s.This old safe, it’s not going anywhere fast!!! It’s a beast!!!
One of the stories that has been passed down to us … a downtown bank was unable to get the safe open to begin the banking day. The bank manager called down to Mr. Yates and asked for his assistance. Could he loan him the cash to open up the bank while they worked on opening the safe? Mr. Yates agreed to help. The bank sent two guards down and wheeled back the cash from the hardware store in a wheelbarrow. Problem solved!
The day we will never forget, the fire across the street at Goodwill. A Story in Pictures
This was a life altering experience. The uncertainty was very real, our neighbors down the street were worried about the fire spreading down the street to connected buildings. We were asked to vacate our building in a matter of an hour. What could we do??? Nothing, but pray and wait. We spent many long hours waiting across the street at Dom’s Bakery. Thankful for our neighbors and friends there. 💕
Our community of firefighters and rescue workers came from all over the county to help fight this fire and stayed all night. Every single fire company in Wilkes responded to this fire. Very thankful.
When we began in 2015, Richard and I knew only a small portion about this old hardware store. We have come to believe that this old hardware store building is like an onion, and we slowly peel a layer away at a time, learning a bit more each passing day and asking more questions about what we don’t know.
We sincerely appreciate and wish to say “Thank you” for sharing all of your stories about 324 10th Street. It has been an honor and privilege to gather these memories and stories, helping to keep this building and business alive long after we all are long gone, in hopes of creating a lasting legacy of intertwined experiences of Life in Wilkes… as our building history boasts the beginnings of the poultry industry in Wilkes, the legend of moonshine, and the hardware industry rooted right here in Wilkes.
The weather this week is warming up nicely. It’s time to take a quick inventory of some of the essentials that you might need to replace or upgrade this Spring to make your outdoor gardening experience go smoothly. Nothing is more annoying to go look for a needed garden tool to find it is gone and or completely out of sight… leaving you to think where on earth did I put that???? 😬
With 10 Gardening Seasons now under our belt, here’s a quick guide of some of Wilkes County Hardware’s BEST SPRING SELLERS… year after year.
Thanks Susan for the picture!
Spring Gardening Essentials
1. Water hose/replacement sprayer nozzle – Yes, this has happened to us too! We quickly realized that our old water hose nozzle needed to be replaced in the middle of a project. Luckily, we knew where to go get one…
If you water frequently during the spring and summer months, you need to evaluate the wear and tear on your water hose AND also consider the consistent sun exposure on your water hose! Did you accidentally leave your water hose outside during the winter season??? It might be a good idea to replace the old worn hose or stop by to pick up a new hose washers, or replacement sprayer.
Wilkes County Hardware also has a good selection of replacement parts for hose ends, washers etc.
2. Pair of new Gardening gloves-Can’t find your trusty gardening gloves??? 🧤 Why should you replace those old, dirty, grungy gloves??? First of all, the wear and tear factor of your old gloves, notice any holes??? You probably need to get rid of them. Then you must consider the dirt itself… soil does what is does… soil has bacteria and fungi that are constantly breaking down organic matter, wearing gloves just makes good sense as you garden. Been fighting in the weeds already??? Notice a patch of poison ivy? Definitely replace your gloves after the exposure. It’s definitely a good idea to get rid of those old ones for a new pair. I must admit I’m guilty about this one!!!
Two of our best sellers!
3. Hand clippers- I cannot tell you how many times I have misplaced my handheld clippers that I frequently carry around as I’m working in the garden. It’s always good to have an extra pair!
Good stock of garden trowels, and stop by to pick up a new tool, the Hori, Hori. A fantastic addition to your garden tool collection
4. Grass seed- Need to fill in a small area with grass seed? Wilkes County Hardware stocks 1 pound to 5 pound bags.
5.Weed Eater String – Check your storage cabinet to make sure you have enough weed eater string to finish your garden chores. No one wants to stop halfway through a garden weeding eating task and have to run out to the hardware store to grab another roll. But if you need us, we will be there!
A variety of different types and lengths are available for purchase
6.Pump Up Garden Sprayer- Two sizes are readily available… 1 gallon and 2 gallon pump sprayer are our best sellers at Wilkes County Hardware.
7. Potting soil– Get growing with a fantastic growing medium. Baccto is definitely in order to refill your pots this Spring. Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!! Other potting soils price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! It’s priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! As a FULL service hardware store, we load these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!
8. Weed control sprays and concentrates– As the weather warms up the weeds seem to grow better than flowers 😳enough said right ??? Wilkes County Hardware has a variety of different type of ready to go sprays and concentrate weed killers suitable for your specific needs. Stop by to chat with us about your garden care needs soon!
9. “Critter Control”- Many questions arise in the Spring about how to deal with pests in the lawn or garden. Moles, grubs, deer, slugs, snakes, and other insects… the list is long but Wilkes County Hardware has a few product solutions that are readily available.
Deer repellent- This is a vigilant and necessary action in our area. It is also very frustrating for homeowners who have a high deer population in their areas to work so diligently for months on creating a beautiful landscape to wake up the next morning to find their hard work all eaten up by 🦌 deer. Ugh!!!
In order for this product to work Effectively , you MUST reapply after a rain storm, or weekly to keep those pesky deer out of growing gardens.
FYI: On a personal note, I have had to switch methods from using pods to sprays/ granular to keep deer activity to a minimum in my yard. If one method doesn’t seem to work well, don’t feel guilty about moving to another method to see if you can minimize the damage to your plants.
Moles– Tunnel networks visible in your yard??? The food source for a mole is the GRUB. If you can get rid of the grubs, the moles will go away. Wilkes County Hardware has options available for mole control or grub treatment.
A variety of options are available at Wilkes County Hardware
Snakes– Ugh! I definitely don’t want to come face to face with these critters in my backyard! Repellent options are available in store.
10. “Wheels”- That’s right… when working in the garden or lawn you need a good set wheels to get the job done. A wheelbarrow or a garden cart can help you move debris, mulch, or even load it up with tools to work efficiently.
Our team at Wilkes County Hardware is ready to assist you with your lawn and garden maintenance this Spring. Let’s get growing!
The Winter season officially began December 21st and will end on March 20th. From cold wintry temperatures, a few snowy days, and even icy morning conditions the winter weather has been season to remember in 2025. Thanks for the beautiful photographic memories Winter!
FYI: Two photos below have active links to more recent blog posts!!!! (New Orleans and Cloud Dancing) Please check those out as well 😊
Winter Solstice Sunrise New Beginnings… January 1, 2025 Golden Sunrise Icy morning Waiting on the SnowIt begins… A new coat of white… snowy afternoon Snowy Morning Snow Day Snowy Branches Crunchy! A Walk into the Woods Snow on the Mountains Sunset at Buck Mountain after the Snow Snow Capped Golden Hour Looking into the Valley January Wolf MoonWinter BeautyHello Sunshine Colorful Sunrise Pink Sky Winter Sunrise Glory Drama in the Sky Rainbow SunriseWinter Days are Lazy Days, JOY All wrapped up, COOKIEWinter BloomsMorning CoffeeNew OrleansCloud DancingButterfly SkyMarch MasterpieceMagical March Sunrise Lavender Sky A Little Floral Volunteer… a prelude to SpringReady to emerge In full bloom Hello Buttercup!New Growth
The constant hum of the key machine, regular background noise inside Wilkes County Hardware
When I taught middle school students, Discovery Channel had a television series called Myth Busters. Using the Middle School science curriculum, I could easily fit in a few of these segments from Myth Busters and students absolutely loved them!
A recent trip to grocery store… golf balls everywhere in the parking lot… how random??? Or was it???Hmmm 🤔
Learning from this series was relatively easy and definitely related to something that students could make connections to, using real life experiences and experiments shared in that series. That memory got me to thinking about doing some serious Myth Busting in our own business life. Why not share the same type of experience with you on social media about a subject that is in need of myth busters???
What ONE 🔑 “key” topic immediately came to my mind??? KEYS of Course !!! Wilkes County Hardware answers lots of questions daily concerning KEYS.
Why all the confusion and questions about Keys and where to go??? This is probably due in part because one of the former owners of the hardware store used to own BOTH (Lock Service and the hardware store) . Life in a small town, things never change… right??? But, we all know, that everything changes! The old assumptions remain, people still believe that things are the same… but time and ownership of both businesses changes things. What remains between the two existing businesses that is a constant ??? The sharing of information and consistent referrals across the board. If we can’t help a key customer at the hardware store, we refer them to the Locksmith next door.
Hopefully, we can together BUST down the mystery and myths that exist around making keys. We will examine when you should use the services of the local locksmith, with a business location next door to our hardware store.
Welcome to Wilkes County Hardware! Keys are duplicated individually, uniquely crafted by our staff members, designed to work every single time! Guaranteed!
MYTH 1: Wilkes County Hardware can unlock my car door for me, if I have locked my keys in my car.
Fact: Sorry, you will have to call the Locksmith for this one! Bill’s Lock Service is next door to us. Wilkes County Hardware and the Locksmith shop have been separate businesses for 20 years now!
MYTH 2: My existing house key is broken. It can’t be fixed! 😬Ugh!
Fact: Bring in the pieces, sometimes Wilkes County Hardware can “piece” the key back together carefully and make a new one!
MYTH 3: Wilkes County Hardware can only duplicate a few different type of keys.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware has hundreds of different key blanks! We cut house keys, vehicle keys, boat keys, RV keys, 4 Wheeler keys, etc. The “box stores” in our area are very limited in what they can do as far as key cutting and they regularly send customers to us each week!
Personalized service, and the ability to duplicate a vast number of key blanks is absolutely a game changer, KEYS, at Wilkes County Hardware.
MYTH 4: The Locksmith is located inside Wilkes County Hardware…. I need to talk to the locksmith, is he in here??? Where is he??? When will he be back in office??
We get these questions (via phone and in person) at least once a day… for the last nine years, y’all it’s a lot, just saying…😬
Fact: Bill’s Lock Service is highly mobile. He goes out to help customers and meet their needs, unlocking vehicles, rekeying, etc. We have no idea where he is on a daily basis or when he will be back because he is a different existing business owner. Please contact him directly if you need his services.
MYTH 5: All rekeying of door locks has to be done at the Lock Service Shop, not the hardware store.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware rekeys locks. Bring your existing lock to us, we can rekey it for you. If you need locks rekeyed on site, then please use the lock service.
Rekeying often takes a bit of time. Customers can drop off locks and return later in day.
MYTH 6: I only have one key to my vehicle. If you make me another key, it will start the car.
Fact: Not always will this be true! If your original key is a computer chip key, and you decide to only purchase a replacement key to unlock the door, it will NOT work in the ignition. The computer chip inside that key sends a signal to your vehicle to activate your ignition. We urge our customers to decide what’s best for your budget, and Wilkes County Hardware can help you with your key needs. It’s never a good scenario to have only one key.
This machine lets our key cutting staff know if a key is a chip key, if it not marked on the key itself.
MYTH 7: My Key fob died and I have to make an appointment at the car dealership to get it fixed.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware has many types of key fob battery replacements that are readily available for purchase. We can easily replace your battery for you and you can get back to driving in most cases and save you the time and money.
Many times the battery just needs replacing inside your key fob, our staff replaces these for our customers often. We keep the batteries in ready shelf stock.
MYTH 8: I’ve lost my Tool box, house key, file cabinet, or safe key. I’m sure you can make me a new one right?
Fact: You will need to check with the Bill’s Lock Service. He has the capacity to possibly help you. Wilkes County Hardware duplicates existing keys. Think of it this way, when I say duplicate, and I’ll use this analogy… it’s like putting a copy into the printer and a new copy comes out, exactly like the original. You have to have a copy to begin with in order to get a new copy. That’s what we do with keys at Wilkes County Hardware. Whereas, the Locksmith is more specialized, and he can create new keys without a copy, using existing locksmith technology to make a key.
MYTH 9: I thought you guys had stopped making keys!
Fact: Absolutely untrue!!! Wilkes County Hardware has been a destination for KEYS for many years. We duplicate keys all day long and have expanded our key selection in the last ten years! We make each key individually. Wilkes County Hardware also has the ability to offer the following key services: rekey a new door lock to match your current key, Keyed padlocks, and chip keys for several vehicle types. We will be exploring adding additional machines/key blanks in the upcoming future, so stay posted for more details.
The KEY desk is usually humming with activity. We are blessed with a staff that can work seamlessly side by side making keys successfully for our customers.
MYTH 10: I can call the hardware store to ask about a specific vehicle key to see if it can be made there.
Fact: It’s definitely better to see the key you need in person/in the store rather than discussing it over the phone, due to vast number of key blanks that we have. Every key is slightly different. Often, we have customers who believe they have a vehicle key that isn’t a chip key and then after a quick analysis by our key staff, the key, they soon realize, it is a chip key 😬.
Those are our top 10 Myths that Wilkes County Hardware encounters on a daily basis. I hope that this information has been helpful and useful to our customers concerning common key questions. Always, if in doubt, please stop by and we will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you might have about keys.
Sharing a few more thoughts about keys and why our customers keep coming back to us at Wilkes County Hardware with each key…
1. When we duplicate KEYS at Wilkes County Hardware, we have always urged customers to check keys before leaving store (if making a vehicle key) and always bring any key back in if the keys need to be tweaked, no charge!
2. Normally, the key desk has minimal returns. But, all KEYS are not created equal! The quality of the original key is definitely a factor in the making of the new duplicate key, and some keys are harder to cut accurately, especially if it is worn out.
3. If you have a KEY, we will do our best to help you get a duplicate made. 99 percent of time we can probably do it in house, but sometimes we refer people to the Locksmith for a more specialized key.
4. NO KEY… well that is a locksmith job and we will definitely refer y’all to Bill’s Lock Service. Hope that we have busted the MYTHs around 🔑 keys!
Getting back to where I began my opening story I always had my students do a brief summary of the myth that was busted in that Myth Buster video series and tell me what was actually the truth/facts after the fun of the video viewing was concluded. We could expand on these findings and bring it into our science discussions later on, connecting back to what we learned.
So in my final report to you today concerning the actual Facts, not the myths about making keys at Wilkes County Hardware: Key Duplication has been a integral part of our work inside the hardware store for many years. If you have an existing key, we can probably make it for you. No key, please call the locksmith. No more MYSTERY and MYTHS around 🔑 keys! Expert status! Bravo!!!! 👏🏻
How did you score on that MYTH v. Fact checklist today initially before reading the answers??? Just curious 🧐???
Thanks for shopping local with us at Wilkes County Hardware for your key purchases and much more!
Beginning in early 2024, I wrote these opening lines: “I have decided to take this year and document and capture memories… from our everyday life activities. Everything isn’t glamorous, we work long hours, 6 days a week, but Richard and I find time to share and unwind. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite collected moments via photography.”
What a journey it has been! Here’s a look at a few of my photo favorites from each month in 2024. Below each photograph, I will include the original link to each month from 2024, in case you missed it or would like to see more photos from each month.
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 