We have an old key 🗝 jar at our house. I think the origins of this container began from all the extra keys 🔑 we found while we were cleaning out Richard’s mom’s house several years ago. The consensus was that we shouldn’t throw them out yet because all the keys were not labeled, would we need them later???
Several years later, those keys are still there…and no, we never had to go dig out a 🔑 key of the jar😂.
So this jar is where all of our old keys 🗝 go to “live”. This weekend I dumped more keys in the jar.. keys that I no longer use from my current key ring. I think this jar, located in our home office, serves as a sweet reminder of what we do now.
You may not have a jar of old keys lying around, but I hope the motivational message on the key 🔑 jar today helps you stay steadfast in your new week. 2020 has proved to be a formidable challenge for many people…. but remember, we still have the 🔑 keys!!! The “key” is preservation to the end.
It is always awesome to hear from our customers when they come in for new keys🔑, “y’all make keys that work” 😉. I’ll take that compliment all day long!!! 😊
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.
5 years ago we just started… Richard and I launched ourselves into hardware store ownership.
Summer of 2015…
This new venture into business ownership was uncertain, scary, and exciting all wrapped up into the same 5 gallon bucket of emotions.
Richard was excited about beginning a new career path. One of the nice perks of this new business adventure, he would be home every night… ultimately more family time 😊.
The last 5 years has been a roller coaster of change. I’m so glad y’all have been a great big part of our journey. Thank you for your support!!!
I’ve been trying to reflect back on our WHY? In other words, WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO at Wilkes County Hardware???
The answer is simply YOU!!! Our customers are our driving force. We are so blessed to have formed many new friendships and made connections with our customers to help meet their needs. We always look forward to your visits into Wilkes County Hardware. Y’all have become our hardware family 💕.
The WCH shopping experience is unique in comparison to other hardware stores. We do our best to give one-on-one service to our customers so y’all can get what is needed in a timely fashion. We offer tips or advice on how to use products, or we can direct customers to another local business if the item is not available in our store, giving a solution to our customers.
Thank you for being our WHY this Wednesday 😉and everyday.
I just realized that my last blog post was written a few days before my grandmother died. Honestly, I haven’t had the time, or the motivation to write much since her death😢.
I have been “MIA” in the hardware store over the last few weeks . I know my absence makes it harder for my husband and our staff to work effectively. I owe them a special treat for sure!!!
When I’m not there, I miss it. Yes, I do work with my husband every day and we have survived 😉… but seriously, I do miss our customers when I can’t be there.
The photo I provided for you today is a lovely gift that was on the front counter when I arrived late Tuesday afternoon💕💕💕.
Today I’m sending out a “huge thank you” to our friends, Eric & Chelsea Brown, better known as Made in McGrady. You can find them featured in several of our social media posts.
On social media I often use the hashtag, #thehardwarelife for our hardware store posts. The “hardware life” is continuing to evolve as we come up on our 5 year anniversary of hardware store ownership.
So after these first 5 years of ownership, I’m reflecting back on what #thehardwarelife actually looks like in real life??? Here is a small glimpse inside our daily lives…#thehardwarelife.
1. First and foremost our Hardware store staff & local artisans have become our family too!!!! I’m so proud to work with such fabulous professionals and have created great friendships with this new journey in our lives.
2. Community… you folks drive us each and every day to meet your needs in the hardware industry. We continue to add new products based on customer requests and availability.
3. Hardware doesn’t take the day off- we typically work 7 days a week (both of us) … always doing something related to business that needs to be addressed…. Early mornings and late days… most days it is literally “sleep, eat, hardware, repeat”. You have to love what you do in order to work that hard, right???
4. Anyone know a logo we use at Wilkes County Hardware???? I would bet if you are a social media follower of ours, then you know our key logos. Wilkes County Hardware t-shirt or hat anyone??? Yes, we have definitely been busy over the last few years working on building some great merchandise options for y’all. I bet you will find that if you see us out and about in town, we are sporting a hat or something else with a Wilkes County Hardware logo. Hardware work is a big part of our day.
One of our best selling logo hats
5. It is very common to come home dusty and dirty after a long day at the hardware store. I like to call it the “100 year old dust” phenomenon. The vintage, rustic nature of our hardware store brings in the dust and dirt … cleaning up is a constant and hard to keep up with 🤪!!! We all (staff) tend to joke that some of the dust has been here for💯 years!!! 😂😂
6. You have to dress for the weather as part of #thehardwarelife. At Wilkes County Hardware, we are subject to the “all natural” air conditioning- yep… no AC in our building… the doors let in the breeze. We installed new ceiling fans last summer to improve air flow. A dramatic change for our staff & customers!!! 😎
7. That smoky wood stove smell… Everyone who enters our store usually will find and ask about our old wood stove. We use the wood stove as our main heat source in the winter… the further you move away from the stove, the heating difference is dramatic on cold weather days🥶. The wood burning smell lingers in your clothing… well you smell… let’s just say… like the great outdoors. 🌳🌳🌳
Our wood stove is a constant source of heat
8. Hardware is hard work- truck deliveries… heavy lifting- 50 lbs bags, walking on concrete floors, thread& cut pipe, cutting chain, screen wire , window glass, this is just a small list of what we do everyday.
9. We really do live a simple lifestyle… we eat most of our meals at home, grilling is essential of course all year long , we 💕our dogs, & spending time with family /friends
10. Wilkes County Hardware encompasses more than the 1,700 square feet of hardware floor space we offer to our customers, the heart of our store is you!!! ❤️
In 2015, #thehardwarelife was a dream, now it is our purpose in life. So to those of you who have been faithfully following along via social media channels, we appreciate y’all making the journey with us and helping us be a bridge to a wider audience. I continue to be amazed at how our followers continue to grow in size, & scope- organically, the way it should be done. Thank you 😊
The picture I’m sharing with y’all today is from our trip back from Yadkinville last night. The sunset was breathtaking. Richard commented on its grandeur as we began our drive back from Mountain Valley Hospice House. I was able to capture only a small portion of the skies natural state. Richard & I have made this trip together regularly for the last week now. Spending a few moments each day with a very sick loved one, are minutes that I will treasure always. 💕
So I’m just getting it out there, these times are hard. Everyone is struggling somehow in life. Life is not “normal “ anymore. COVID 19 has changed how we live and work or not working. Changes have been coming fast in the last few months and some folks have been sick. People are ready to get things back to normal.
That being said, I am going to address the next phase of business for us at Wilkes County Hardware and what our current vision looks like.
After May 8th, WCH will still do curbside service only atthis time. We will slowly proceed with caution. Our WCH staff is like our family. Many of you know, Wayne has been home waiting out the brunt of the COVID crisis and we miss him dearly🤗. Our staff has been great to work through such a unique & challenging time. We love & appreciate each and every staff member at WCH. As a business owner, we feel compelled to create a safe & healthy working environment for our staff, they are our family too.
Many folks have been gracious, kind and understanding of the new normal at WCH, curbside service only. Please know that we value each and everyone of you!!! We must take care of our family first, immediate family and our staff. So business will not be normal for us for a while longer. We appreciate your kindness and understanding as we do our best to help you with your hardware store needs.
Eventually our plans are to gradually reopen our doors, welcoming our customers & community back inside the rustic walls of Wilkes County Hardware. Social distancing and other criteria will be in place when we reopen based on the current CDC recommendations. Please stay posted for further updates and information.
Thank you
Richard & Angela Searcy
Living the "hardwarelife", join us in our journey of hardware store ownership
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 