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customer service, entrepreneurship, hardware store, Hardware Store Life, nuts and bolts, old hardware stores, plumbing, Shop Local, southern living, wood stove, work, Works in Progress

ABC’s of Wilkes County Hardware…

September 13, 2023 hardwarelifewife 2 Comments

When people walk into our hardware store, they often say y’all have just a little bit of everything here don’t you!!! As we have entered into year number 8 of business, we have slowly expanded and refined our offerings to our customers. Here’s a sampling of our product offerings via ABC’s of Wilkes County Hardware.

***Top down view overlooking the back corner of Wilkes County Hardware***

Let’s begin by diving into the Amazing finds from All Around the Hardware Store! Sometimes our building might be considered an “Antique” due to its advanced age…1905 is A long time AGO!

A- Almanac, acetone, axe, American Flags, animal repellents

B- bird feeder & seed, BBQ sauce, brooms, bi-fold door hardware, bungee cords, batteries, black iron fittings and pipe cut to size, bolts

C- Customers! We can’t do this without you!!! Thank you for shopping with local with us! It’s soooo easy to forget about local businesses when you’re busy running errands or just headed to that “box store” for something on your to do list. Keep the CASH in our community!

***Thanks for shopping local and keeping the CASH in our community!***

C- Caulk, candy, command strips, canning supplies, cleaning products, compression fittings, chain cut to size

***Clorox wipes and much more can be found in our cleaning area***

D- Drill bits, DampRid, Denatured Alcohol, driveway and asphalt coating/pothole patch, door locks

E- electrical supplies, eye hooks, Ecos soaps, extension cords

F- Freight Elevator .. we have an Oldie Goldie, I bet you might find this as you wander through the hardware store.

***The old freight elevator… We don’t use it much anymore but it’s still works***

F- fastener aisle, flower seeds, fly strips, fly swatters, flashlights, fuses(replacements), flower pots

***Sometimes all you need it just one bolt or fastener… that’s ok with us, no need to buy a whole box. This area of our store is often full of customers all day long.***

G- Gardening tools, garden seeds, grass seed, gloves, glues, grilling accessories, Greased Lightning, gas cans, galvanized fittings and pipe cut to size, window glass cut to size

***Lawn and Garden area has been moved towards the front of the hardware store. We are excited to offer new products in this busy area for our customers.***

H- hammers, hooks, hinges, hand tools, hose barb, Howard wood cleaning products, honey(it’s local y’all!)

***Only local honey sold at Wilkes County Hardware!!***

I-I didn’t know you had this! I should have come here first… we have heard this a few times over the last 8 years when folks find what they need and more as they shop.

I- Iron Out, ice melt

J- Juxtaposition of old school hardware store with excellent customer service found in 2023 versus “the box store experience”in 2023, no self service checkout here.

J-Japanese beetle traps, joint compound

K-keys duplicated with ease, knives, kerosene heaters & replacement wicks

***Wayne has been a fixture inside Wilkes County Hardware for over 20 years. He just celebrated his 85th birthday!!! I bet Wayne has made a key or two for you.***

L- Ladder wall, this wall showcases some of our amazing local artisans work.

***Our local artisans are prominently featured along the back ladder wall.***

L- lag screws, locks, light bulbs, laundry detergent, Lodge Cast Iron, Lava soap, Linseed oil, Lexel caulk, liquid chlorine

M- Mural.. have y’all noticed the new mural on the front side of the building? Why the chicken??? Our building was a poultry processing plant in its early years.

A more detailed account is linked here for you from an earlier blog post. https://hardwarelifewife.com/2022/11/21/mr-ee-eller-chickens-and-turkeys-nothing-but-clucking-gobbling-and-plucking-out-the-truth/

M- Meyers Clean Day, Magnets, mineral spirits, mops, Milwaukee, metric bolts

N-nails … we don’t sell these by the pound anymore but we have small size packs available for purchase as well as larger sizes, National Hardware what an amazing selection of all things related to home hardware and more!

O- Order it for me please! Yes, we special order items for our customers each and every week

O- O-rings of all shapes and sizes!

P- Pool supplies, paper towels, PVC fittings, PB Blaster, Pex fittings, plungers, plumbing supplies galore! PVC pipe, padlocks, potting soils, polyurethane and and plethora of so much more!

***Our plumbing section has been recently updated***

Q- Quite a step back into time.. our building dates back to 1905, they don’t build them like this anymore. You can quickly find what you need and save TIME by not driving to a box store fighting the traffic or the crowd… and if you need our help we are here to answer any questions you may have about your project.

Q- Quick knife/scissors sharpening done in a matter of a few minutes, Quartz piston clock… locally made

R- Repairs made to lamps, kerosene heaters, re-screening windows, and tool handle replacement

***Fall and winter season is a busy time for Kerosene heater repairs***

R- Ready Seal, rodent control products, Rid-X , rope cut to size or just buy it by the package.

Rocking chair… we brought this chair from our house once we bought the hardware store. I rocked my son as a baby in this rocking chair. It was a sweet reminder of home. Harry loved this chair as well.

S-Staff… we are blessed with an amazing team!

Richard & Coby … these two can fix just about anything!

Lisa .. we can’t live without her! She is a gem

Lastly, Carter Call … I don’t seem to have a good photo of him but he has been a star pool guy all summer long! Look for him at the hardware store in the afternoons and Saturdays to come!

S-snow shovels and sleds, locally made soaps, suet, screws ( sheet metal, lag, stainless, self tapping, wood, deck), spray paint, Shark Bite, sandpaper, stove pipe, screwdrivers and much more!

T- Take a few minutes to wander from the front of the store to the back of the store.. you never know what you might find!

T- Traeger Grills & pellets, tape, tape measures, toilet repair, toilet paper, Tarn-x, TSP, tarps

***We keep a variety of pellets in stock for our established Traeger customers.***

U- U-bolts and unique gifts from locally sourced artisans

V- Don’t be vexed by our selection of furnace filters, we have so many different sizes in stock!

V- Vulcan 55 gallon drum liners for your trash can

W- Wood stove… warm by the fire on those cold days

***It won’t be long until this stove will be back in action again!***

W- wheelbarrow, WD-40, window glazing, water hoses, locally made wooden bowls and boards, weed eater trimmer line, wing nuts, wrench

X- Xacto blades, Xtreme contractor trash bags

Y-y’all are always welcome

***Our doors are normally open for most of the warmer months, and conversations are usually flowing most of the day… near the old wood stove.***

Y- Yellow Quell- did you know that we sell pool supplies and test pool water???

***Pool season runs from May to September for most of our pool customers. Thanks for shopping locally with us!***

Z- Zep products, Zip ties(cable ties) , Zero-G lightweight hose

***The best water hose for watering plants***

That’s just a glimpse of some of the familiar hardware products that we have inside Wilkes County Hardware. Richard and I are proud to continue into year 8 with new products to be added into the hardware store lineup as the next year progresses. Thank you for your business and continued support.

hardware store, Hardware Store Life, nuts and bolts, old hardware stores, Shop Local, work

Nuts and Bolts

January 11, 2023 hardwarelifewife 2 Comments

Work… the mechanical manifestation of energy, according to science. Work it could be said, is the “nuts and bolts “ of what we do each and every day. After all, nuts and bolts are not the whole of a project, they are only a portion of a project.

The successful concept of work today creates within the soul a feeling of pride, satisfaction of a job well done, and contribution back into your greater community in some type of capacity. Today I’m offering y’all an inside look at our hardware work… the “nuts and bolts” view of what we do each day.

Walking inside Wilkes County Hardware may take you back into a time of nostalgia… viewing our old building, wood stove, historic elevator, or even remembering a time when hardware stores used to be full service for the customer. We still do that each and every day. Our customers always come first! Customers are the essential element in our business, and that is why we are customer service oriented in what we do! Wilkes County Hardware is definitely more than a place to go pick up a few nuts and bolts.

**They just don’t build them like this anymore, check out the size of those beams y’all!**

**Wood stove heat keeps us moving and going in the winter months.**

Yes, we have several folks who stop by to shop our extensive selection of nuts 🔩 and bolts… whether you are looking to purchase one or two or even multiple boxes. But did you know that we do the following things as well??

1. Key duplication

**Wayne is a popular guy in our key area! We duplicate keys, rekey locks, can make chip keys … ask us if we can help you out with your key needs**

2. Kerosene wick replacement

**Wick repair is ongoing, unsure which wick you need? We can find that for you too!**

**A work area for repairs like kerosene wick repair, tool repair, lamp repair**

3. Threading and pipe cutting

**Galvanized and black pipe threaded… if you have never done this, it is a labor intensive job and takes time to do it well. Kudos to Richard who does most of this laborious task.**

4. Glass cutting up to 36 inches

**This custom piece was recently done for a customer and it is ready to go!**

5. Chain cut to exact length

**Our display showcases the chain we have in stock** **and ready to go home with you! Measure twice, cut once… cut chain CAN NOT be returned please know how much you need before we cut it for you.**

**Folks often ask about what we use our upstairs space for… we measure and cut chain, tubing, rope, do window screen repair, window glass cut, and pipe threading is all done upstairs**.

6. Basic lamp repair

**Have a lamp that is acting all weird.. we can fix it for you or you can do it yourself with these simple pieces**

**Light bulbs, extension cords, fuses, and basic electrical supplies we will help you find what you’re looking for in order to get your to do list completed**

7. Tool handle replacement

**Our lawn and garden section is usually a busy spot year round. Ask us if you have questions about a project, or product.**

8. Pool water testing for free!

**Pool water testing is always a good idea when you’re a pool owner**

**Wilkes County Hardware keeps a variety of pool chemicals in stock for sale**

9. Roll pipe cut to length (most hardware retailers sell the entire roll) and copper pipe

**Copper cut to length or sold by roll**

**Need to do a small plumbing repair? We can cut these to length as well This display is found on the plumbing aisle.**

10. Gas and plumbing fittings … including a good selection of Pex and Shark Bite

**Compression fittings and flared fittings of all sizes**

**Our plumbing aisle is a bustling place on most days**

11. Vast selection of furnace filters

**Ask us and we will gladly help you find your size of furnace filter**

12. Window screen repair

**This is a basic list of our service offerings.**

13. Knife and scissor sharpening

**Working on a knife** 🔪 **for sharpening**

As y’all can see we work hard to be a full service hardware store for our customers. Our goal is to keep our customers coming back to us for all of the things that they need for any project. Thank you for being a great part of what we do each and every day whether it is a purchase of nuts and bolts, a key or even a bag of bird seed. We couldn’t be here without you!

**Coles bird seed has become a very popular item for our regular customers**

**You need to clean it or scrub it, we can probably help you!!**

**And we have locally sourced items too!!!**

**Locally made soaps, candles, pottery, & woodworking**

**Stop by and find some “Great Stuff” that you didn’t know existed inside our historic walls. Sorry for the pun y’all.**

So there it is… the “nuts and bolts” of the hardware life daily work. Stop by and see us soon. We appreciate your support of our small business. YOU are the part that holds all of our work together in our nuts and bolts analogy. Thank you for joining us in our journey of the hardware life for the last seven years.

entrepreneurship, Hardware Store Life, keys, Shop Local, southern living

Unlocking the Mystery… Keys

August 10, 2022 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

All keys are not created equal.

The variety of keys could boggle the mind if y’all really stopped to think about it (house keys of all shapes & sizes, master lock , mailbox, car, boat, RV, & ATV keys)the list goes on and on!

Sometimes it takes a few minutes to survey all the different key blanks in order to find the right one before placing into the key machine. Our selection is vast.. and we continue to try to grow this portion of our hardware business

At Wilkes County Hardware we are known for making keys that work. We stand behind our keys. If ever a key doesn’t work, we will gladly replace it with one that will!

The key desk is usually one of the busiest places inside our store

I would guess that not many places are left in our town locally where you can go inside and get a key made accurately in a matter of a few minutes. And I’m not talking about putting money/key into a machine… taking a chance on the luck of getting it absolutely perfect… we are talking about getting your key duplicated by an individual using a key cutting machine. Keys are what we do well. Below are a few examples of what we do everyday for our customers.

We make keys the old fashioned way… not simply put into a machine to duplicate, using a key cutting machine like this one, we can cut out an extra groove if necessary.

A house key is probably the easiest to duplicate. Using the original key is the best way to ensure the most accurate duplication.

Most folks would be surprised how many keys we make in a single month.

Getting car keys duplicated can be a more of a dubious task. Many of today’s car keys are more costly to copy due to their anti-theft/electronic features. Car keys come in many varieties…chip keys, sidewinder keys, & fob keys if lost, can be a costly replacement.

Here’s one of the tools we use in order to determine if a customer has a automotive chip key

At Wilkes County Hardware, we can replicate most automotive chip keys. The vehicle should be present for a replacement chip key, or really any car key duplicate. It makes it so much easier!

Wilkes County Hardware has been receiving several calls related to lock shop services… ie, Can you come out to my house to rekey my locks? OR I have locked my keys inside my car, can you come get them out… 😳OR can you make me a new key from the switch???? No, we simply duplicate keys at Wilkes County Hardware.

Each week we receive multiple phone calls at the hardware store requesting information for lock services. We only duplicate keys at Wilkes County Hardware and rekey locks.

For many years Wilkes Hardware & Wilkes Lock Service were synonymous, and owned by one person. That is no longer the case. These two businesses have been separated from each other for over 17 plus years.

The old lock service sign is still on the store front… we hate to remove vintage signage

We are common neighbors on 10th Street with two very different businesses. We gladly refer all lock shop questions to our neighbors next door.

As a simple reminder, Wilkes County Hardware offers basic key cutting services, chip keys, & rekeying locks in our store. We are very blessed with an amazing staff who do a fabulous job of keys!

Wayne has been a master key guy inside Wilkes County Hardware for many years. We are blessed to have him on our staff.

Thank you for supporting our local hardware store business for the last SEVEN years!!! We appreciate your support always!!!

🔑

Wayne taking time to examine the old lock on our front door, he is a man of many talents

entrepreneurship, Hardware Store Life, Shop Local

Women Entrepreneurship in Downtown North Wilkesboro

March 8, 2022 hardwarelifewife 10 Comments

A view overlooking Downtown North Wilkesboro

My first memory of a Woman in business had to be my Granny. She owned a fabric shop in West End. It was a fun adventure to visit the fabric shop as a kid. I was old enough to rummage in the loose button barrels and play hide and seek with my cousin in between the fabric bolts. We always had a blast when we were there with her inside the fabric shop.

Upon a bit more reflection, I realized that my work ethic was strongly influenced by my parents. They both modeled an excellent work ethic… Hard work disguised as opportunities.

As I am writing this blog post today, it is International Women’s Day. A day to recognize the achievements of Women everywhere. March is a month where we acknowledge & honor the accomplishments of Women. So I thought why not focus on the Entrepreneurial Women of North Wilkesboro???

I began to really give this some serious attention a few weeks ago when I was driving in the downtown corridor of North Wilkesboro. An epiphany occurred to me…just within the North Wilkesboro downtown area, I realized that many business owners are women OR they “co-own” a business with their spouse. Meaning they are actively involved in the day to day activities of running a successful business!!!!

Don’t forget that Carolina Treasures, Copper Barrel & Key City Antiques are considered part of Main Street!! These businesses attract out of town folks all the time

I began to reflect on each of these businesses and the faces behind them… These ladies who are business owners, are definitely not afraid of hard work or working 6-7 days a week!!!

Each of these individual businesses have unique stories and services to offer to our greater community. We are truly blessed to have each and everyone of these businesses in downtown North Wilkesboro.

A view of the Downtown area from the Greenway

Please know that you are appreciated and I applaud your dedication to our community during the last few years. Doing business during Covid has brought us all unique challenges AND new opportunities for success. Thank you for handling it with grace & style.

The following is a short & working list of retail businesses in our North Wilkesboro Downtown corridor that reflect the designation of Women owned/managed according to my definition above in my blog post. Please feel free to tag any other local businesses that would fit into this description in our downtown area.

Carolina Treasures

Key City Antiques

6th & Main

The Block

Fruit of the Vine

Annatiques

Talia

Ivy Ridge Traditions

Baby Celebration

Hallmark

Wash House on Main

Vintage Home Studio

Gloria Sews

Gracefully Yours

Christina Younger Art

Lauren Waterhouse Photography

Cassie Stone Photography

Bliss

Wilkes County Hardware

Dom’s Bakery

Midtown Market

Our Oasis Nutrition

Cooks

Something Special Boutique

Southern Threads

Other noteworthy businesses which are not necessarily retail based but would be considered women owned businesses in our downtown area

Copper Barrel

David’s Car Care

Blair Properties

Our locally sourced products inside Wilkes County Hardware operating under the management of Women or husband/wife teams … we appreciate your support of local artisans!!!

Happy Frog Creations

Little Corner Pottery

Made In McGrady

Gia’s Pottery

Cindy’s Dishcloths

Gypsy Ridge Honey /Soaps

The Land of Canaan Kids Soaps

Old Mule BBQ Sauce

Brushy Mountain Granola

Carolina Kuduz Crazy

Carmik Insect Repellent

Betty Miller Baskets

Hardware Store Life, Shop Local

A look back at 2021…

December 29, 2021 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is on the horizon!!! Here’s a glimpse of some of the new products & ideas we have brought into our hometown hardware store inside Wilkes County Hardware in 2021.