Will Hardware

Will Hardware is a rarity: a surviving, small, local hardware store, with the next alternative 12 miles away. The store is an asset to the town — well run, clean, and fair — and has occupied its niche in this economically struggling area since long before the advent of hardware chains. They have an excellent product selection in a tiny space compared to the mega-​supply stores, and pricing on items is fair and competitive.
As a small store, of course, they can’t offer all the product options the big guys can, but I find a surprisingly large fraction of what I want. John, the owner, runs it singlehandedly, so if you want advice, there’s no need to walk a mile of Home Depot aisles to find assistance. A fringe benefit of shopping there is chatting with him about local happenings and the state of the world.
If local stores like Will aren’t actively supported, they disappear. Then all of us have to drive to distant larger towns to shop.