[Chat] Fw: [I-NEIGHBORS] Your Feedback Is Sought Regarding Opening A Local Hardware Store

Fri Jan 9 14:12:15 EST 2009

I know Gina's hardware store well in DC, having been a Logan resident for 15
years.they are wonderful, and always have that odd item you need, with
friendly faces.  (Although I wish she would sell my Logan Circle book at the
counter!)

How about the abandoned Hollywood video store on 25th Street, across from
the safeway?  It has nice parking!  If a smaller store is needed, the
copycat building on the corner of 25th and Charles is now vacant (copycat
moved a few blocks south).  That site would really make for a lovely
restaurant, too.   

Paul  

Paul K. Williams

1929 13th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20009

WashingtonHistory.com <http://www.washingtonhistory.com/> 

2629 Guilford Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21218

BaltimoreMarylandHistory.com <http://www.baltimoremarylandhistory.com/> 

From: chat-bounces at charlesvillage.info
[mailto:chat-bounces at charlesvillage.info] On Behalf Of Stephen J Gewirtz
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 1:43 PM
To: The Charles Village Chat List; gina at acehardwareDC.com
Subject: Re: [Chat] Fw: [I-NEIGHBORS] Your Feedback Is Sought Regarding
Opening A Local Hardware Store

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" 
 <mailto:davidkinzer at gmail.com> <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  <mailto:shadesofbeauty2002 at YAHOO.COM>
<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  <mailto:Jstewart at DAT.STATE.MD.US>
<Jstewart at DAT.STATE.MD.US>* 
wrote:

From: JOSEPH STEWART  <mailto:Jstewart at DAT.STATE.MD.US>
<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?

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