Short trip back in time yesterday!!!!

Yesterday I was in Monticello, Iowa. I needed some K-1 for my space heaters. None of the gas stations keep it anymore. Local fellow told me that McNeil hardware had K-1 in bulk. I go there all of the time for those hard to find hardware needs. They have been in business for over 100 years.

I asked Dave McNeil if he had K-1. He sure. He took me into the back room. There he had the OLD pump up fuel pump that pumps the K-1 up out of the basement into a one gallon glass measuring tank. Then he would open a valve to let that gallon down into my five gallon containers. He kept count with five carriage bolts in one of the bins on the wall. Dump a gallon and move the bolt over to keep track. LOL Real high tech.

I had never been back in that room. I got to looking around. It was their sheet metal room. All the tools to make all the sheet metal ducts and stove pipes fittings. He told me that prior to WWII that his Grand Father kept three men busy working there making all of the ducts and pipe you needed to hook up stoves and furnaces. HE told me about how all the patterns on the wall where the ones you would use to cut the fitting out of flat sheet metal. He talked about how the old guys did not have any of the patterns marked as to what they where for. He said they always called it job security.

He still uses the tooling to make shorter pieces of stove pipe. IF you need a double male he can make it. He can cut a long one and crimp the small end and roll the ring around it too. He had the long mandrels with a big chink of lead in the middle to put on the inside to support the pipe while you knock a hole in it for the dampener.

There is a GREAT coal stove in the middle of the room. It is in perfect condition.( Forget the name. LOL) He said that his Grand Father bought it new in 1903. HE said they had to quit burning it as he could not find 24 gage 10 foot stove pipe anymore. The "new" 28 gage would not stand the heat for very long. He talked about how the masonry chimney would leak a little and the up stairs goods would smell a little like coal in the winter. LOL Plus his insurance would not allow it any longer too. He does have it hooked up and sometimes burns paper in it.

His son is in the store with him now. Dave's father passed 3-4 years ago. They have added bicycles to the products they sell. They will put a new Fiber glass handle into your hammer, ax, etc. They still make/repair screens. They have new cast iron cooking stuff too. I love doing business with them.

So if your around Montcello Iowa you really need to stop in and see them. You will take a trip back in time. I flash back to going there as a small kid.

I am going to take my cammera with me some day and see if Dave will allow me to take some pictures.

AJH Mc Neill Hardware
201 E 1st St,
Monticello, IA 52310
(319) 465-4286

Your wonderful story brings back fond memories and makes me wish I lived closer to that store. Thank you. Jim in Canada

I'm 42 years old and our local place sold out 25 years ago after Art passed away. Just like you described, walked into the back part of the store and it was a different atmosphere. You'd ask Old Art for off the wall stuff, he'd just smile and give you a twinkle from his eyes and you were in business and back to work. The auction took two days and the stuff they pulled out of that store was a time capsule that burst open. Sure miss old Art, Faiman Hardware, Clarkson Nebraska.

These old hardware stores were my favorite places. Too bad they eventually disappear. I recall going into one that looked all cluttered and random, trying to find a fitting I wasn"t sure was even made. The old fella listened to my description and took me back to a table full of jars and plucked one out of the middle - with one of exactly what I wanted inside.
New Haven Building supply in New Haven NY is still a lot like that, even tho it is now more "modernized"

I'd love to visit that store, JD.

Dean

We had one in North Mankato, Mn. also. Only you didn't have to go to the back room for nostalgia. Just walk in the front door. They just closed this summer. Yes their stuff was priced higher then the big box stores but price is not what made them quit. They were always super busy. Dave just got to old and they had it for sale for two years and no interested buyers so they had a two day auction and locked the doors. Talk about customer service. He new everything about every product he sold. When the words "I don't know" came out of his mouth, they were always followed with "but I will find out and get back to you" and he did. Unheard of in today's world.

Those kind of places and stories area a lot of fun to listen too and or in your case visit. At the bottom of the lane here, my neighbor 2 houses to the north-east, had a small shop, used to sell paint, maytag appliances, later years lawnmowers, there is a shot of him in the history book on the back of his delivery/service truck, early 50's. He was a connoisseur of old things. He was a great neighbor and friend. He had turn of the century gas engines, one of them was used to power a draw bridge, well raise the center deck, over the nearby Hudson, G.E. Schenectady, along with the generator, on static display, meticulously restored/maintained + several others and you would see him every year at the fair with a hit/miss engine powering a corn sheller if I recall. He had more old things in there, an old coal furnace which looked like a 50's robot. He passed in '90. His wife in '98, it was all auctioned off, I went and took photos of it all, the person involved with the estate saw it fit to secretly give me something from his shop that christmas, a giant nut, no threads, but bigger than my hand and several pounds. I remember it as a kid and was telling the story, while attending the auction, at how I marveled at the size of this, who would have a wrench to fit that, being a kid, bicycles, small engines, tractors and or equipment around the farm, it was one of the things I remembered from his shop, and she decided because of the story I told about being in and around this little shop I should have it. He used it to keep a door open or something, and it has his signature on it, it has a brass flat link chain attached, a piece of lead wrapped around that 3/4 the way up and a hook on the end, not an ordinary one, but one made of a common nail, he was one those guys who could fix or make anything, as he often did. He worked at Behr-Manning and or later it was Bendix. Your story reminded me of old Lou, his shop and such, I should dig out those photos, he had a nice collection in that shop, I can hear still hear him using that cleaning tip off the air hose, daily, that and the liberty bell sized old Meneely bell. Every day at noon time he would ring it, and I could look across the 2 back yards between us and the barns, Lou would be out there pulling that rope, with his shop apron on and his favorite hat on too, that bell was huge, and you could hear it all over, can still hear it now. Firehouse sirens still go off at noon, so I guess thats why he did it ? I'll never really know, but where have these guys all gone, you'd just love to sit one afternoon over a beer or two and talk about things like this. The local senator bought the bell at auction for like 8K and it was donated, placed down near an urban environment where I am sure the locals probably defaced it by now. Maybe not, I have not seen it since.
Meneely Bell

Stopped in there a couple of years ago for a bung for the wine barrel and they had a new old stock one on the shelf. Could not believe it!

There was a general merchandise store in Red Bud, IL. Close about 20 years ago. Store had been in business and family own and operated since before the civil war. There were things there that the auctioneer ( 80 years old ) had never seen before. There were horse harness items, new, that dated back before the civil war. Bought and saw some very interesting items, some this I never saw before. I do miss that store.

JD Seller,

Neat story - enjoyed it.

We stopped by a rural gas station recently. We admired a couple of old photos on the wall.

Then the owner showed us a folder of some photos he had of the station and the changes various owners had made since back in the 1920's. Wish I'd have had my camera along to snap some pics... really cool photos.

The Agco dealer I deal with isn't all that much different from that. An old wooden store front former Oliver dealer. They just took the wooden screen door off a few years ago and replaced it with an aluminum combination storm door. There are cats sunning themselves in the front window and walking around between the parts bins. Old newspaper clippings of the family out in front with new Olivers etc.

Fast forward 50 years... I seriously doubt anyone will be reminiscing about driving down to the Home Depot or Lowes and actually finding someone in the store to wait on you, much less being able to find what you were looking for. My, how times have changed

Our local barbershop in Palmyra, Indiana has a bunch of pictures displayed that show early buildings in town. He is a good one to talk aboot life, his parents and grandparents ran a grocery store where the barbershop is today.

We have a hardware store similar to that in South Omaha-P & M Hardware. They had an incredible fire several years back, but built it back with the hardwood floors and all! Even has the old time hardware store smell too it!

Got a store like that up here at Bloomington Wi, Hermsens Ace Hardware, they have a lot of stuff no one has anymore, even the squeaky wooden floors!

It's going to be a bit different there now that the owner passed away last week. I'm sure they will keep it going but it will have a different feel.

Bruce passed away?! I hadn't heard that. Dang it that's a shocker.

Yes, just last week. I think he was 75. Was in the hospital with a few problems and things never got better for him. He's my uncles brother in law.

I always love those stores. Sounds like the garage in Dunn Center ND that some of my kin owned. They had inventory from the late 20's until the modern 70's ! They were all genuine replacement parts from the big three and they paid taxes on them every year. My great G PAW was the blacksmith and built the wrecker and snow blade on the GMC truck. I just found a yt'r that was raised there and I guess just like everything else it comes to a end. Long live the memory's of GRANFORD'S GARAGE.

Sound kind of like Oliver Rickard Hardware in Centralia, WA. Old wood floor with some cork boot marks, hardwood parts bins on the wall in back of the counter, with a rolling ladder to access them. Went in when I was about 18 to get some bolts- a knockout girl was behind the counter, about 16 or so- I figured it would be tough to get her to understand what I wanted. When I told her, she smiled sweetly and said, "Cap screws or machine bolts?" I said cap screws, having no idea what the difference was, and then commented that she seemed to know her stuff. She replied that she was Bill Rickard's daughter, and had been "helping" since she was bout 8.

They had a huge round woodstove in the middle of the store, over 6 feet tall, with spittin' and whittlin' chairs around it. Wondered what would happen to it when they closed in the '70's- it ended up down the street, at the Olympic Club, a pool hall and bar that was the local speak-easy during prohibition. Guess there was a tunnel from the basement to the train station across the street, for ease of re-stocking. Looks very appropriate in that place.

Damm. Last I talked to him was late summer some time. Shawn was gone and he was working the parts counter.

Braley and Noxons hardware in North Creek NY used to be like that. If you wanted rope they walked over to the wall and start pulling out as much as you wanted and measured it across the floor. The rope came up from 600 foot spools 3 stories down IIRC. Used to buy steel there, down stairs, and they they'd cut you want you needed. They made stove pipe, fixed bicycles, sold paints, guns, ammo, fishing tackle, small appliances and dishes and of course general hardware. Old Ernest Noxon was the Town Clerk for well over 50 years as I recall. Nothing like going down to the hardware store to get your marriage license! Big old creeky floor with a hot air duct about 4 foot square right in front of the counter. I winder how many half froze kids warmed up on that grate? They had a Case knife display right up by the front door. I don't think I ever actually had enough money to buy a knife out of that display case, but I bet I spent at least 6 months of actual time standing there drooling on the glass.

Store is still in business but different owners. They redid the old store and it's just not anything like the old store. Uncle Walt Schultz used to have the variety store next door and Mitch Aboods barber shop was just across the street. The post office was around the corner and so was Sawyers press were out local paper was published. The old theatre with the horse hair stuffed seats was just down the street next to Baroudis market and the old fire house. It's all gone now pretty much. I'd give a lot to see Uncle Walt, Ernie Noxon, Esther Baroudi or to sit in the Northwoods theatre again with my little sister whos also gone.

Nostalgia.......

JD Seller, you need to go down in the basement of McNeills some time. If noboy else has what you want McNeills will usually have it on hand.

We still have one such old hardware store still surviving. It's Nichols Hardware located in Purcellville, VA. If we are in the need of anything remotely out of the ordinary, we always go out of our way to make the trip to Nichols. They are sure to have it and in MANY cases their prices are better on MOST items than the big box stores (Home Depot & Lowes).
The old wooden floors are still in place as are the walls lined with storage bins. You won't get a computer generated receipt either, they still hand write their receipts! Here is a link to a short history of the store: http://www.loudounhistory.org/history/purcellville-nichols-hardware.htm
Unfortunately, the town is trying to squeeze the old store out but the Nichols family are doing their best to stay put. It will be such a sad day if and when the store closes!

Sounds like an old hardware store in Parksley, VA over on the Eastern Shore. Old well worn squeeky wood floors, stove parts, nail bins with a claw to dig out what you need, screen repair table and much more. It has an old smell about it that you notice when you walk in the old front door. It's interesting to just walk around and see all the stuff they have.