Category Archives: old school hardware store

Spring Gardening Essentials

First signs of Spring… Daffodils are blooming

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.

Critter Riddle

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!

Forsythia, Spring is Here!

Myth Busters: Test Your Knowledge… MYTH v. FACT… Dispelling MYTHS about Common Key Problems

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!

January Days

New Beginnings

The festivities of Christmas and New Year are complete. The decorations are boxed up for another year, and the cold, brisk winter weather looms ahead. Will we have snow to look forward to this month???

The answer is yes! Snow on January 10th, 2025!

January can be a bit of “let down” after the holidays. So how do we celebrate one of the all time coldest months of the year? January is like eating an elephant… you can’t tackle it at once, but you can manage it one bite at a time, as the old saying goes.. January, take it ONE day at a time!

Here’s to celebrating the long, cold, brisk, windy January days, one day at a time, breaking it down into manageable chunks, offering a bit of sunshine on an icy, bitter cold January Day. Have fun this January with a few trips and stops inside Wilkes County Hardware this January, warming by the old-fashioned wood stove. You never know what you might find that you need!

January Days

1st- New Year’s Day– a feast of cornbread, black-eyed peas, greens, and pork, and New Year’s Resolutions. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to grab a new cast iron skillet this month!!

“A-Maized” by Cornbread

4th- National Spaghetti Day– make a big, heaping bowl of spaghetti today!

“Crocktober” Recipes Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

5th- National Bird Day– Winter is the perfect time to watch and enjoy the birds feeding in your yard. Stop by to pick up a new bird feeder, suet, or bird food

Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up your winter suet, feeders, feed and more!

6th- Epiphany (3 Kings Day)– Celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men, many observe this as the official end of the Christmas season

9th- Static Electricity Day… no one likes this problem during the winter! Bring more humidity into your home, add lotion to hands to help fight it. Carry a coin with you or even a bolt 🔩, pocket knife…. You get the gist to reduce the risk.

These lotions are selling fast during the winter months at Wilkes County Hardware

10th- Houseplant Appreciation Day. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy those green plants!

“Plant Lady”

11th- International Thank You Day- send a note of thanks to someone today!

12th- National Sunday Supper Day– Gather around the table and enjoy family time. Make it a weekly tradition in 2025.

Handcrafted by Keegan… a beautiful piece to add as a centerpiece of your Sunday Supper celebrations… Supper vs. Dinner

13th- Clean Off Your Desk Day– Time to tackle your desk, or any other surface areas that need to be cleaned! Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for some cleaning essentials.

Did you know that Wilkes County Hardware has a great selection of cleaning products???

15th- Hat Day– it’s definitely time for a new Wilkes County Hardware Hat today!

17th- Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day… Don’t give up! It takes time to create a habit (like a few months of consistent practice ) remember the phrase, eating an elephant one bite at a time…

19th- National Popcorn 🍿 Day- Go watch a movie today at our nearby Liberty Theater and eat the famous popcorn!

20th- Blue Monday/Take Walk Outdoors Day- it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Check out the blog post for more ideas on how to beat the winter blues

Fighting the Winter Blues

23rd- National Pie Day- Make and eat your favorite pie

24th- National Peanut Butter Day- A lunch staple at Wilkes County Hardware for our staff… what’s your favorite way to eat peanut butter???

26th- Spouse Day- Do something special for your spouse today. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up something special for them today.

Old Fashioned Candy or picking up hardware essentials…

27th- Chocolate Cake Day- oh boy!

Baking essentials found inside Wilkes County Hardware!

29th- National Puzzle Day- sit down and do a puzzle with the family today

31st- Hot Chocolate Day- What a wonderful way to end the month! Roasting marshmallows for your steaming mug of hot chocolate!!! What could be better!

Need new mugs, try these beauties! Handmade mugs always in stock at Wilkes County Hardware!

Hometown Holidays, The “Old School Tradition” of Homemade Holidays-Blog Post 4

Statistics show that a resurgence of baking takes place between Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays. Over 73% of folks get excited about getting into the kitchen to either prepare meals for their family holiday meals or BAKE the holidays away. Speaking from personal experience, I do have a relative who begins baking cookies right after the Thanksgiving holiday concludes and he bakes cookies the entire month of December! He generously shares with his mailman, delivery drivers, friends, family, etc.

An “old school tradition”, homemade holidays.. sharing with neighbors and even the postal carrier

A trip into the grocery store will confirm these earlier facts… finding stacks of baking supplies which are definitely impulse purchases waiting for those who experience the urge for a making a sweet treat during Christmas.

Yes, there are a few holiday traditional foods that I always enjoy making each year. As you read this you are probably making a mental checklist as well, maybe even your finalizing the grocery shopping list to get started with your homemade holiday. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into a homemade holiday season. Happy Homemade Holidays!!!

Baking for the holidays for gift giving purposes is an “old school” tradition of Christmas. In our Agricultural rooted traditions, folks harvested their abundance, and at Christmas offering a time to share in holiday joy by sharing a homemade treats with friends and neighbors.

Cakes are often shared around the table over Christmas, if you haven’t read this previous blog: Pound Cake, A Southern Staple

Even in 2024, I must admit, nothing is better than homemade for the holidays. I feel very honored to receive the homemade gifts that we have been given. These are homemade gifts took a considerable amount of time and effort for the gift to be completed prior to giving. That can’t be purchased online either!

The gift of homemade can be found inside Wilkes County Hardware!

I know that I don’t necessarily fit neatly into that category of homemade gift giving, but there are other ways we can observe the “old school” tradition of homemade holidays.

Gathering together around the table to “break bread” and celebrate the season with those traditional homemade holiday foods that we all know and love can make our time together memorable. All pitching in…sharing the load of preparing the family favorite foods, what could be better!!!

And yes, I’ll say we had the best biscuits on the holiday table when we gathered at Granny’s house on Christmas Eve. Those little buttery, golden treats, literally melting in my mouth and warming my full stomach into a blissful holiday slumber as we awaited Santa’s arrival made for some delicious homemade memories of Christmas that I still recall fondly.

Granny used an old, vintage metal dishpan smaller than this one to make her homemade biscuits. I used to sit and watch her make them. She would create a “well” in the middle for the milk after she worked the shortening into the flour. Granny did this effortlessly every single time. I’m thankful that she taught me how to recreate them. I don’t think mine are quite as tasty as Granny’s were. Wilkes County Hardware offers these dishpans for sale year round.
Apple Butter and a biscuit… homemade goodness!
Or honey and a pat of butter???

The homemade holiday… Offering all, a time to reconnect, laugh, share the joy of the holiday. Traditional homemade holiday meals AND desserts bring a sense of nostalgia, comfort and belonging to those gathered together, a sense of HOME.

Gingerbread buttercream! Oh my!!! (See recipe below)

Looking back, the first time I ever gathered with Richard’s family at Christmas, their homemade holiday looked slightly different from what I experienced growing up. His grandmother made fresh coconut cake every single year as well as Ambrosia. Let’s just say, she loved coconut and fresh oranges for the homemade holidays.

Fresh oranges 🍊 an “old school” homemade holiday tradition. Oranges were a staple treat found inside Christmas stockings for many years. Fresh orange slices were always on the Christmas breakfast table at home. I always looked forward to Christmas breakfast with my family, featuring…fresh biscuits, country ham, and fresh orange slices

Besides the love of oranges, one other shared homemade food that Richard and I both enjoyed each Christmas, Sausage Balls. I still make them every year around the holidays to honor our combined family homemade holiday traditions.

Christmas mornings are made for these yummy treats! Benjamin now helps me make these each time as a tradition that we started many years ago when he was younger.

And let’s not forget about those great snacking foods and warm cozy drinks! Chex Party Mix takes me back to the Christmas memories of my parents making the mix in the kitchen, while my sister and I were busy eating the Chex Mix at the table as they finished it up. I also love the white chocolate version with M&M’s.

Whatever you may call this version of heavenly Chex Mix… Reindeer Food, Christmas Chex… it’s a definite keeper for Christmas (recipe below)
Sipping on a hot mug of mulling spices, Russian Tea, or a cup of hot cocoa overflowing with melting marshmallows, all the while munching on a homemade holiday cookie, Christmas homemade holidays are definitely underway.

New memories can made each year around all these shared homemade meals or treats. Homemade holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are the perfect opportunity to get back into the kitchen and celebrate the holiday with a bit of homemade goodness. And the opportunity for Christmas nostalgia reigns supreme as we reconnect with these special homemade holidays memories. Happy Homemade Holidays!

Essential ingredient for Gingerbread Buttercream (see below)

Gingerbread Buttercream

Recipe Ingredients (perfect for 13×9 cake pan) Please double recipe for a layer cake.

1/2 unsalted butter (softened)

2 1/2 c confectioners sugar

1/4 t ground ginger

1/8 t ground cinnamon

1/8 t ground cloves

1 t vanilla

1 T molasses

3 T maple syrup

2 T Heavy cream

Step by Step Process for success:

  1. Place softened butter and sugar into mixer and beat until blended.
  2. Add all other ingredients and beat on high for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides, blend until smooth, light, fluffy buttercream texture forms.
  3. Icing cake after cooling down completely and enjoy!

Reindeer Food

Key ingredients: (add what you love, this what I put into my Reindeer Food)

Rice or corn Chex (one box)

Cheerios (half box)

Pretzels (half bag)

M&M’s (one bag or more of Christmas colors)

Confectioners Sugar

White Chocolate Chips (2 bags- melted)

Mix all ingredients together (excluding M&M’s) in a very large bowl while white chocolate chips are melting. Pour the mixture onto sheet pans covered with parchment paper (prevent sticking) and adding M&M’s into mixture. Pour melted white chocolate evenly over the cereal mixture, allow to cool. I melted my white chocolate chips in microwave in glass bowl and added a small amount of vegetable oil and stir well until melted. Sprinkle confectioners sugar over top of Reindeer Food.

Christmas is a fantastic time to watch an old movie…. Start a new homemade tradition with this recipe: Hearty Slumgullion Stew: From a recipe adapted from the Classic Christmas movie, It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hometown Hardware Holiday- Handmade Holiday Blog Post 3

2024 Hometown Holiday Season is underway! Light Up Downtown was a great way to begin the celebration

It’s time to unpack the Christmas tree decorations, if you haven’t done it already, and turn on your favorite Christmas music. The holiday season is here and it’s time to enjoy an evening of Christmas tree decorating. I must say, it’s a full on family affair and tradition that we all pitch in and help decorate the Christmas tree at our house.

It’s a joint effort with the tree being set up, lights strung onto the tree, and then the masterpiece of design begins. The Christmas tree decorations are put into place, we all place them onto the tree branches delicately, slowly filling in the gaps. The final end result, a heart full of love and joy of Christmas boasting within our home, a Christmas tree like no one else has or will have. The family Christmas tree. You can’t simply replicate that. It can’t be bought in a store… Christmas tree decorations are as unique as the owners themselves, handmade, customized to each individual family, and personalized. No Christmas tree is the same. What a wonderful thing!

I always enjoy the unpacking of ornaments. Our collection is definitely varied and unique. As the storage containers of ornaments makes it out of the closet, a peak inside reveals our stash of treasures of handmade ornaments. The collected ones, and those that represent fond memories of travels. I also love the ornaments that have been passed down through the generations through both of our families.

I must admit, it’s True Confession time: My very favorites are the handmade ornaments. My heart literally melts every time I take an ornament out that Benjamin made in preschool, or that he crafted with me. These special ones always seem to make it onto the Christmas tree every year no matter the size of our Christmas tree, big or small.

Each of these individual ornaments holds a special place in our hearts and minds. These special ornaments are crafting a unique handmade look to our family tree every year. Each ornament holding a special story or memory attached to it… one of the reasons what makes the Christmas season so special for all of us in the Searcy household. The handmade family Christmas tree.

Wilkes County Hardware is featuring its own handmade holiday Christmas tree this year! These beautiful ornaments are handmade and ready to add to your collection or would make a fantastic holiday present for someone special on your gift list this year. Thanks to Little Corner Pottery for these beautiful handmade ornaments. These are selling quickly!

As you begin to enjoy your Hometown Homemade Holidays in 2024, Ultimately, you might need to venture into the hardware store to pick up a new strand or two of lights, maybe even find an electric timer so your beautifully decorated Christmas tree turns on automatically, grab a new extension cord, or maybe even a power strip to connect all the lights and cords.

Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up a Santa 🔑 Key. The Magic Santa Key only works ONE night a year, Christmas Eve. Leave this key out for Santa 🎅🏻.

But, have you ever thought about crafting your own Christmas magic? Handmade ornaments can be made with materials right inside your favorite hometown hardware store. Yes, we have the usual materials like green string, glue, tape, dowel rods, nuts, bolts, and washers… my question to you today…what unique materials could you use to craft a memorable ornament for your tree this year???

Maybe crafting isn’t your forte. That’s ok. We have your Santa gift list ready to go! Wilkes County Hardware features some of the finest local artisans from our local area. Nothing is better than the gift of handmade for the holidays. The gift of handmade is a special gift will be remembered year after year and can’t be found inside a big box store.

Handcrafted by Keegan Watson has been a local featured artisan inside Wilkes County Hardware for several years now. His award winning work has been featured in Our State Magazine.
Often times customers ask, how do I use this piece??? Larger bowls make wonderful ways to display collections(see photo above), use in daily food prep, or anyway you need it!
Local soap, shampoo and conditioner bars by Land of Canaan
Pottery pieces by Little Corner Pottery
Shop along the featured ladder wall to find Little Corner pottery and Handcrafted by Keegan Watson.
Handmade towels by The Vintage Home Studio
Pottery by Blue Door Studio
New artisan: Redeemed Rust, Christmas ornaments and magnets are flying out the door this year!
These handmade dishcloths are routinely sold out! 2 for $5
We feature a local artist each season with our updated window art work each season! Thank you to Andrea Baldwin for keeping us festive all year long!!!
A Handmade Holiday, A Christmas to REMEMBER!