Olde Thyme Retail

Here are some of the oldest hardware stores in America

My mother’s store on Main Street featured antique oak cabinetry that displayed the merchandise. Nails were raked from metal bins and sold by the pound. Sisal rope was pulled from a spool in the attic and cut with a pocket knife. A lot of people came to the store to experience the olde thyme vibe.

Her store is long gone, but you can still visit some old hardware stores across the country. The folks at The Hardware Connection—a great source of information about independent hardware retailers—compiled a list in 2019 of the oldest hardware stores in the country. Here are the top 10.

1. Foster Farrar Company: 1796
   Northampton, Mass.

2. S.L. Wadsworth & Son: 1818
   Eastport, Maine

3. Spalding Ace Hardware: 1822
   Lockport, N.Y.

4. Farmers Hardware: 1836
   Madison, Ga.

5. Booker Hardware: 1837
   Holly Springs, Miss.

6. Hartke Hardware: 1839
   Cincinnati, Ohio

7. Clarks Ace Hardware: 1845
   Ellicott City, Md.

8. Morris Hardware: 1845
   McConnelsville, Ohio

9. Carpenter’s Paint & Hardware: 1848
   Camden, N.Y.

10. Trilling True Value: 1850
    Sheboygan, Wis.