Tag Archives: economic growth

Shopping Local

June 8, 2021 hardwarelifewife 2 Comments

Wilkes County Hardware had locally based products before we purchased the store. One of those legendary local products had to be the famous “Holly Farms BBQ sauce”. We keep it year round and it “flies off the shelf” 🐔🐔🐔for local Chicken-Q’s or backyard BBQ’s.

The BBQ sauce is sold in gallons or quart size….

Richard & I wanted to grow our local product offerings, and we put it in as a business goal to work on. Someone recently came into our store and assumed that we had picked up local based products because another business in town had closed their doors. I was shocked at that statement. My response was quick, “we have always hosted local artisans here, this is not a new thing for us.”

Keegan Watson’s woodworking has been inside our store since he began as a woodworker. We are blessed to have his products showcased in our store& to call him as our dear friend.

We have expanded our locally based products significantly in the last few years. I have more time to develop this part of our business model now in my retirement. Richard & I each hold different roles as business owners. We have taken and spilt various roles as business owners. New product development & merchandising, marketing are just a few of my roles.

One new product I added to our store lineup that our customers love… Meyer’s Clean Day… we have an excellent selection of these products inside our hardware store. Thanks for shopping local with us.

I hope y’all will enjoy a glimpse inside our locally sourced products, all located in your hometown hardware store. Here’s a closer look at our made in NC items & locally sourced products.

Blum’s Almanac… these are locally made in Winston Salem, NC

Ahhh… the seasonal favorite of so many of our customers… thank you so much for coming back to see us every year to purchase these wonderful cookies!!!

Wilkes County made honey by Kevin Foster, it is amazing to see how this stuff flies out the door like a little honey 🐝 bee !!!

A new product offering… pottery by Little Corner Pottery. Thank you to Lisa Pruitt for sharing her gorgeous pieces with our customers!!!

Land of Canaan Goat Milk soap by Kendal Finley Privette. These soap are aesthetically beautiful and selling fast!!! Welcome to our store!!!

Handcrafted by Keegan Watson, he continues to “bowl us over” with his amazing work!!!

Another amazing piece by Keegan… cutting boards are a great gift idea

For unique items… Chelsea Brown has got us covered. Eric & Chelsea design together as Made in McGrady… more pictures to follow

Rustic, & beautiful designs- Eric Brown makes his wooden cutting boards to withstand the constant use in the kitchen. Made in McGrady has been a huge part of our store for many years now. We love you dearly Eric & Chelsea!!!

Sometimes products come to us out of customer problem solving… Richard Cardwell began making these carpenter bed traps for us a few years ago out of need. We appreciate it!! Thank you!!!

Blackwonder soil builder… amazing new NC based product to add nutritional value to your clay soil or boost your plants growth. Get growing with this great product today!!

Blake Farms made an appearance at WCH around Mother’s Day.. those hanging baskets didn’t last long

Baskets made by Betty Miller, locally made here in Wilkes County. Gorgeous work!!!

Amazing & quirky pieces by Gia, always a beautiful gift choice!!!

Making kitchen work lighter… these are locally made here in Wilkes County. Thanks Cindy for always sharing a batch of your handiwork with us.

Don’t be “bugged” by insects, we have a locally made insect repellent made here in Wilkes County!!! Thus doesn’t leave a oily residue on your clothes or skin.

Bee Wax Candles made by Gypsy Ridge Honey Farm, beautifully designed by Brandie Foster.

All of our logo wear is locally sourced through another local business. A huge thank you to Cooks Sporting Goods for believing in us, and working together with us for each unique design

Amazing flavor!!! A must try!!! Thanks for sharing your product with us!!! Great company to work with & NC made!!!

When masks were required, we found an excellent local source for these!!!

NC peanuts!!! These are selling fast!!! Also available at our pop up shop local at Carolina Treasures on Main

Lavender soap.. can’t keep it on the shelf!!!

Made in Wilkes County… a go to snack but so much more!!! Brushy Mountain Granola is absolutely an awesome company to work with and a fabulous product… all flavors are equally delicious!!

Mark McMasters, a super nice guy!! This NC sauce is a great selling product

We sold out of these handcrafted stars at Christmas time, thanks Betty Miller

We source Molasses locally when it is available

Our pumpkins out front in the fall, locally sourced. Thanks JC!!!😊

These were locally sourced by our neighbors down the street, Cormoto Graphics. We are currently sold out of these.. would love to hear what type of stickers y’all would love to see next…

Yep, you truly can use it on everything. Great tasting food coming up!!!

We still have a few prints left by local photographer, Tate Finely, breathtaking views!!!

We appreciate y’all so much! Thank you for shopping local with us and supporting our small business and helping other artisans grow their respective businesses. Thank you!!!

Thanks for being a part of #thehardwarelife

Hardware Store Life

Handcrafted with Keegan

January 5, 2021 hardwarelifewife 2 Comments

Iconic pieces… what else can we say about Keegan’s woodworking????
Join us today in our spotlight story about how Wilkes County Hardware teamed up with Keegan…. if you missed the other blog posts in this series then make sure you check them out as well.
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One of my treasured Keegan bowls at home.

This story begins with a house… a young & newly married couple purchasing a home, just up the street from our hardware store. They often came into our store to make purchases as they were working on the new home DIY project list.

I knew Melanie from work, as a fabulous band teacher. We taught at the same school for a period of time. Conversation & laughter was always easy with these two people. They tackled many home projects. Over time the projects were completed, & they settled into their new home.

Then, Keegan decided to explore woodworking as a hobby in 2018. Keegan brought us a few samples of his workmanship. They were impressive.

Some of Keegan’s first pieces at Wilkes County Hardware

As Richard and Keegan talked one evening, he asked us if we would be interested in possibly adding a few of his pieces inside our store. Our answer was a quick YES!!! Handcrafted with Keegan has not slowed down since.

Keegan has been steadily adding new handmade items to his business. Keegan is always experimenting with new designs, new handmade product offerings. He is an amazing craftsman & a true friend. I’m always amazed at the talent & hard work that he continues to bring to his business.

Keegan has a diverse skill set, and talented in many different areas. Not only is Keegan a DIYer, accomplished musician, cook, woodworker, well… the list is long😌. I believe the term, “Renaissance Man” would apply.

Thank you Keegan for always making us smile. We truly appreciate your support and come support Keegan by purchasing his products at Wilkes County Hardware.
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FYI: Make sure you check out the photos today. The first pic is from a Keegan bowl that he made last year from a piece of wood we found upstairs in our building. It is a special treasure for sure💕, they all are!!!

challenges, Hardware Store Life, Life in 2020, memories, Shop Local, Transitions in Life

Strength

October 14, 2020 hardwarelifewife 2 Comments

What a powerful word!!!! Do you consider yourself to be strong??? Where does “strength “ come from??? Is it internal??? External???

Strength can be defined as being physically strong or the capacity to withstand a great force or pressure.

Gandhi wisdom states that strength does not come out of the physical strength but from indomitable will.

Life in 2020 has tested the powers of strength for many people. Hardships of health, natural disasters, financial, and so many other areas have impacted folks in 2020.

My personal life chapter in 2020 brought unique experiences with loss. In the first 10 months of 2020, I have lost 3 family members, the most notable for me was the loss of my Granny. The family losses were compounded with the loss of 2 sweet pups- GiGi & Elvis. 😢😢😢😢

Granny loved to be outside, strawberry picking was always a special time spent together

Staffing changes has created a void in our lives as well. The loss of long time employees has brought distinctive sadness into our midst. Those personal losses have been extremely difficult to deal with adding in the flooding events from August/early September that made life more interesting.

Then add in financial challenges/supply chain issues of doing business during COVID… Honestly, the list could go on and on…

Store flooded after a significant downpour… the back parking lot drains were unable to direct water correctly and our neighbors beside us flooded. As a result, our store took on water as well from their flooding event😢

Reflecting back on this chapter thus far in 2020, I’m not sure quite how I survived so far. Obstacles have been overcome, & new ones continue to emerge daily… so how do we keep going???

What gives you strength in hard times??? Religion, quiet reflection- reading, nature walks, staying connected to friends & family. Pets??? Laughter??? Hopes & dreams of better days??? Is it a combination of all of these???

Beautiful weather to get outside to keep body strong and always good for my soul

Finding Strength in 2020 has been hard but I’m not giving up. My will is still strong. I draw strength from all of the areas I listed above… prayer, reflection, walks in nature, family support, laughter with friends, music, & dreams. So I guess you could say that I am drawing strength from many different areas.

Another area of strength for me has to be our customers & followers on social media platforms. You have given me strength to push on. Thank you for your kind words on our posts!!! Feedback, comments, likes, shares and those continued interactions on our Facebook & IG pages are much appreciated. The algorithms are powerful today and the more interaction we have on these platforms, the more present we can be on your personal feed to showcase new products, store updates, sales etc.

AND… When you arrive as a customer in our hardware store with familiar smiles😊, it brightens our day!!!! We love to see y’all shopping local. We need to keep the heart of the #wilcostrong movement going. We appreciate your continued support of local businesses in our community. The long term impact of shopping local will definitely be a stronger local economy.

In closing, finding strength& overcoming life’s obstacles in 2020 has been a ongoing challenge. Thank you for giving us strength to keep moving forward. I’ll be dreaming of better days ahead as I know many of y’all are too. So y’all Dream On!!!! 😉

Hardware Store Life, lighthouses, Shop Local

Lighthouses Stores

August 7, 2020 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

Today is National Lighthouse Day… I often go check my calendar in the early morning hours to see what type of holidays are on the horizon. I immediately thought, oh well, we live in the NC Mountains, no connections there, but then I began to think about the symbolism of a lighthouse.

Lighthouses are symbols of guidance offering the “light”or can be a safe haven for those who need it. Lighthouses could be a place of calm and refuge.

My thoughts then went to local businesses in 2020… So here are my questions for you today.

Where are your “lighthouse stores”?In other words, who are the stores you frequent the most, seeking advice, getting the essentials, where are the places where you feel welcome, & can you shop safely in your lighthouse store???

Are they local shops??? Big box stores??? Do you get the service you need from your go-to stores??? Are your lighthouse stores a “beacon in the darkness”, in other words, are your questions being answered after shopping there or do you leave more frustrated???

At Wilkes County Hardware, we hope that we are one of your lighthouse stores that you listed out today as you were thinking this over in your mind 🤔.

Over the last 5 years, we have developed a good list of services we offer to our customers that they are not able find in other places easily. We rekey locks so customers can sleep easier at night, find solutions to project dilemmas, & even answer phone calls about when it is a good time to plant, or can vegetables.

Our ultimate goal is to be there when you need us, “a beacon in the night”, providing answers/solutions and offering hospitality to all.

Hardware Store Life

#Wilcostrong

April 16, 2020 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

What is Wilco…

We live in Wilkes County, NC. I guess you could say the “younger generation” have been calling our county, Wilco for several years. A fellow business owner, Cook’s Sporting Goods, has been able to market that effectively for the last few years. It has become quite trendy/fashionable to wear Wilco gear.

What is #Wilcostrong…

Simply put, our Wilkes County community pulling together and working together for a greater good during this COVID crisis.

Idea Time…

Back in March 2020, local restaurants had already been forced to do curbside only. The stress was already beginning to show and many local businesses were anxious about what was going to happen next. Our small town has taken several hits to our economy in the last several years. Major businesses have left, & corporate offices are gone. Food insecurity is a issue for more people than some people care to realize. I felt we needed to be working together to share our stories in order to help each other. Cook’s Sporting Goods had started to share out other small businesses Instagram stories each day… The Cook’s team and I had discussed potentially doing that to direct more business information flow to local businesses & locally owned restaurants. This sharing of information was to help our community to be more aware of current changes in business hours, new menus, new products, curbside services, etc. (By the way, this was all before the NC state executive order to shutdown).

Original WCH hardware store post…

Here is the direct context of the Facebook/Instagram post from March 18, 2020…

“So many businesses in our small town have been dramatically impacted by the current health crisis. We are open for business and several other small businesses are offering curbside service. Find our Instagram stories for local updates from other local businesses across our 2 towns. We are #wilcostrong!!! Other local businesses, we encourage you to use this hashtag to show support for our community. Simply add your business logo or storefront to this hashtag and share out to your Facebook or Instagram page and let’s work together in order to keep our local businesses functioning during this unprecedented event. Feel free to share other small businesses posts to share information out to a larger audience. We can do this together!!! Lastly, a BIG thank you to our followers and customers who continue to shop local!!! We couldn’t do this without you!!! 😊”

So that was it…

A simple post asking for fellow businesses to tag posts using a hashtag and to work together.

What happened next…

I received a text message from a friend once he saw the logo on the Cook’s Sporting Goods Facebook page with a Wilcostrong logo- he made a suggestion of a t-shirt using #wilcostrong as a 💡 idea. One quick phone call and the Cook’s team began to seriously work on this potential new idea…. Here you go, the birth of the t-shirt fundraiser project began…..

Hashtag time…

So we had the hashtag #wilcostrong and it was starting to trend among local businesses, folks were sharing each other’s posts via Instagram stories, helping to spread the word about local businesses. It makes me smile just a little bit wider each time I see another local business sharing what someone else is doing😊

T-shirt design…

#Wilcostrong was beginning to catch on, we had an idea and we wanted to capture the movement in a positive direction. The idea of t-shirt design was in the works. The team at Cook’s got busy working on a design with an old school pickup truck, loaded with goodies from shopping trips at local retailers without specifying names. It would be virtually impossible to name every small business in town. Cook’s team worked with us as equals- we helped to pick final design & color of the t-shirt. By the time the shirt was ready, to print, NC Business shutdown was in effect. Many of our neighbors in Downtown North Wilkesboro are currently closed and unable to do business as usual. 😢

Giving Back…

We were all in agreement that too many local folks had already been impacted by the NC state shutdown. So it was agreed by all involved that we should give proceeds to Samaritan’s Kitchen.

At least $5.00 or more of t-shirt sales ( per shirt) would be given back to Samaritan’s Kitchen. Samaritan’s Kitchen serves as a local food pantry for our community. Each week, volunteers help to organize and bag 700 “backpack” food bags for needy local students& their families each and every week!!! With the current Covid crisis, teachers, & counselors, or bus drivers are delivering those out to student families if they are unable to get to school each week!!! So, the need is great inside our community and constant.

Results are still coming in…

At the time this blog post was posted, 286 t-shirts have been sold so far!!!! One local business owner ordered t-shirts for their entire staff😊. Orders are continuously coming in each day. Absolutely amazing!!!! 💕

The Hardware Life – A wife's journey into the hardware business