Nutty, but in a good way

My mom and dad screwed me up but, again, in a good way

On the north end of Main Street in the tiny town of McPherson, Kansas, my mother opened a hardware store, B&G Hardware. Next door was another hardware store, Copeland Supply, which was mom’s biggest competitor. That store was owned by my father.  

I grew up working at my parents’ two hardware stores in the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Even today I can identify most bolts and screws by sight. Alas, this superpower did little to help launch my career in journalism.

If you love the feel of an old hardware store—there aren’t many left these days—this is the place for you.

I want to recall a time that at least seemed less complicated. I cherish a childhood that was absent of smartphones and social media. There were no 24-hour newscasts spouting vitriol and divisiveness. We relied on intelligent people, not artificial intelligence. Most important, neighbors could disagree—as all humans are wont to do—without hateful name-calling and permanent labels that made you either an “us” or a “them.”

Stop by if you’re feeling nostalgic. Tell me about your favorite mom-and-pop store and what made it special. Celebrate small towns like mine. Or just hang out awhile and talk about hardware.