[Chat] Fw: [I-NEIGHBORS] Your Feedback Is Sought Regarding Opening A Local Hardware Store
Stephen J Gewirtz
gewirtz at bellatlantic.net
Fri Jan 9 13:43:00 EST 2009
I also remember 3 hardware stores: Hardware Fair (which was not mom and
pop as far as I was aware) next to the Boulevard Theater, Hoover's on
the 3100 or 3200 block of Greenmount (and Mr. Hoover could come to ones
house to repair an old lock), and Boulevard Hardware on 31st or 32nd
just west of Greenmount. Hoover's closed (its owners were elderly and
probably did not have kids who wanted to take over the business), and
two men who had just recently bought Boulevard from its previous owner
then bought Hardware Fair, closed the other store, and opened as
Boulevard Hardware Fair where Hardware Fair had been. Hechingers, a
regional chain which had opened a store in Northwood where Hecht Company
had been, closed according to the Sun if I recall correctly because of
poor management and inability to compete with Home Depot on prices
(Lowe's came to Maryland much more recently). So now we have Home Depot
and Lowe's in suburbia and a few small local hardware stores.
But the small hardware stores can compete despite higher prices because
we can walk to them (especially good for those of us without cars) and
because they universally give better service than Home Depot or Lowe's.
While I will be glad during daylight hours to patronize a store where
Blockbuster was (and the murder occurred at night when people with sense
would not go there), I agree with Judy that it would be far better if a
hardware store were located in the JHU-owned building at 31st and
Charles; we do not need another 7-11.
Another great location, if it can be gotten, would be the old Uncle
Lee's Restaurant across Greenmount from where Boulevard Hardware Fair
was. As I am sure that Gina knows, the City has definitely been
interested in trying to get an Ace Hardware there and has been trying to
pressure the owner of Uncle Lee's to sell the property if he is not
going to put it to use.
So I encourage Gina to open an Ace Hardware at any one of the locations
mentioned. We definitely need a hardware store in the neighborhood. We
really need to get a collection of good stores and restaurants on and
near Greenmount (i.e. at locations such as the old post office where
Blockbuster was and on the 3300 block of Greenmount where Uncle Lee's
was) that will attract neighborhood and outside people in sufficient
numbers so that the entire area will no longer seem so seedy and feel so
unsafe that people do not want to go there. Her store can help a lot at
either Waverly Main Street location, and her store at Charles and 31st
can keep that area from going downhill.
Years ago, I was told by someone in the hardware business (it might have
been one of the owners of Boulevard Hardware Fair) that the hardware
business is counter-cyclical because people who are un or under employed
like to fix up their homes during their spare time. So despite the
economic mess, this may be an excellent time to open a hardware store.
Good luck to Gina!
BTW, when I need hardware now, I take the 8 and 9 buses to Lowe's. So
despite the fact that Lowe's is cheaper than Ace will be, I certainly
would find it preferable to use an Ace Hardware in the neighborhood.
Steve.
JUDY BERLIN wrote:
> I remember 3 mom and pop hardware stores on Greenmount Av. Love to see
> another one in the neighborhood, but not at the expense of someone's
> safety. That location is isolated, thanks in part to the poor design of
> Giant. Let's not forget that the store manager of the blockbuster was
> murdered inside his store. Another 7-11 is not needed at 31st &
> Charles. A hardware store is.There are 2 empty spaces at 31st& Chas.
> Judy Berlin
>
> On Jan 9, 2009, at 11:14 AM, Kathleen Hruska wrote:
>
>
>> Hi Gina,
>>
>> I also use the Home Depot, and Falkenhan's in Hampden. But to have a
>> hardware/garden supply store within walking distance... Heaven! I
>> would also love to see a thriving business in that beautiful old
>> building.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Kathleen
>>
>> P.S. Hint: I bought a rotary push lawn mower from an Ace Hardware
>> store a few years back. I bet they'd be popular with our green-minded
>> neighbors with small backyards...!
>>
>> On Thursday, January 08, 2009, at 10:25PM, "David Kinzer"
>> <davidkinzer at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Gina,
>>>
>>> I agree with Brad. It would be great to have you in the
>>> neighborhood. I
>>> know that many of the homeowners on my block are always renovating or
>>> updating their homes to some extent. I certainly have a long list of
>>> intended renovations and upgrades. Like Brad, I currently shop at
>>> the Home
>>> Depot on Perring Parkway but would gladly switch to a local business.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> David
>>>
>>> 2009/1/8 Schlegel, William B CW4 RES USAR USARC <
>>> william.schlegel at us.army.mil>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Gina,
>>>>
>>>> It has been over 15 years since a community-based hardware store has
>>>> been
>>>> in the Greater Waverly area. I encourage you to pursue this
>>>> opportunity and
>>>> hope you will hear from other members of the community, as well.
>>>> Have you
>>>> been in touch with the Waverly Main Street Coordinator, Laura
>>>> Kindseth?
>>>>
>>>> I shop at the Home Depot on Perring Pkwy and get plants at the
>>>> Waverly
>>>> Farmer's market and another small nursery on Walther Blvd - Walther
>>>> Gardens. there are a few small hardware stores in Hampden, but none
>>>> left on
>>>> Greenmount Avenue, where there had been two as recently as 1993.
>>>>
>>>> Please Reply To All My E-Mail Addresses !
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>> W. Brad Schlegel
>>>> Block Captain - EGLSCA
>>>> 1552 Oakridge Road
>>>> Baltimore, MD 21218-2228
>>>>
>>>> 410-467-1933 - H
>>>> 410-962-9506 - W and Voice Mail
>>>> william.schlegel at us.army.mil, brad.schlegel at irs.gov,
>>>> Schlegelw at mi.army.mil
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> *From:* Efa Ahmed-Williams <shadesofbeauty2002 at YAHOO.COM>
>>>> *To:* EDNORGARDENSLAKESIDE21218 at I-NEIGHBORS.ORG
>>>> *Sent:* Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:19 PM
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [I-NEIGHBORS] Your Feedback Is Sought Regarding
>>>> Opening A
>>>> Local Hardware Store
>>>>
>>>> If prices are good (competitive with larger chain stores) and you
>>>> have a
>>>> variety of items including flowers and gardening supplies the store
>>>> would be
>>>> a good addition to our neighborhood.
>>>>
>>>> *Peace,*
>>>> *Efa*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --- On *Wed, 1/7/09, JOSEPH STEWART <Jstewart at DAT.STATE.MD.US>*
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> From: JOSEPH STEWART <Jstewart at DAT.STATE.MD.US>
>>>> Subject: Your Feedback Is Sought Regarding Opening A Local Hardware
>>>> Store
>>>> To: EDNORGARDENSLAKESIDE21218 at I-NEIGHBORS.ORG
>>>> Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2009, 1:34 PM
>>>>
>>>> Dear Community members,
>>>>
>>>> Hello. My name is Gina Schaefer and along with my husband, Marc
>>>> Friedman, and associate, John Elliot, own Federal Hill Ace Hardware
>>>> on
>>>> Light Street. We opened that location almost two years ago and love
>>>> being in the Federal Hill community.
>>>>
>>>> We have been presented with the opportunity to open a second location
>>>> in Waverly in the old Post Office (Blockbuster) space and are
>>>> interested
>>>> in getting some feedback from you.
>>>>
>>>> You can read more about us by visiting www.acehardwareDC.com but I
>>>> will
>>>> also give you a few tidbits of information.
>>>>
>>>> We are members of the Ace Hardware co-operative which makes us
>>>> independently owned and operated yet gives us a larger buying group
>>>> to
>>>> work within. We currently own five stores and try very hard to
>>>> become a
>>>> destination location in each of those neighborhoods. We carry more
>>>> than 20,000 items and have access to many, many more. We divide our
>>>> stores into the following departments; lawn & garden, paint &
>>>> cleaning,
>>>> electrical, plumbing, housewares, and hardware. We love to adapt our
>>>> products to our neighborhoods' needs and will bring in almost any
>>>> items
>>>> that are requested by our customers.
>>>>
>>>> As we continue to do the research necessary to determine if this
>>>> location is a good fit for us, we welcome any comments (both positive
>>>> and negative) that you might have.
>>>>
>>>> I'm curious where everyone currently shops for their hardware and
>>>> housewares items? Where are you buying things like plant pots,
>>>> mulch,
>>>> etc. Do you think the neighborhood would enjoy having a community
>>>> hardware store? Are there still enough renovations going on to
>>>> sustain
>>>> a large store?
>>>>
>>>> Please feel free to email me at . I look
>>>> forward
>>>> to hearing from you.
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>> Gina Schaefer
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Owner of a "few cool hardware stores"
>>>> 202-682-4517 (work)
>>>> 202-246-3450 (cell)
>>>>
>>>> Now you can shop our stores on-line! Visit www.acehardwaredc.com
>>>> You're not a clone, why shop at one?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Chat mailing list
>>>> Chat at charlesvillage.info
>>>> http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info
>>>> archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/
>>>>
>>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Chat mailing list
>> Chat at charlesvillage.info
>> http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info
>> archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/
>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Chat mailing list
> Chat at charlesvillage.info
> http://charlesvillage.info/mailman/listinfo/chat_charlesvillage.info
> archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@charlesvillage.info/
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://charlesvillage.info/pipermail/chat_charlesvillage.info/attachments/20090109/d72da24d/attachment.html>
More information about the Chat
mailing list