The Hardware Man - God Bless America

Howdy Folks,

It’s the week of the 4th of July. The biggest celebration of America 250. I love the overwhelming show of patriotism throughout our nation and our communities. The biggest kick I’ve gotten is with the FIFA World Cup visitors who get to experience the USA unfiltered and have gone viral with their awe and wonder of our country and the simple things we take for granted. Their take on our natural landscapes and small towns, on Southern Hospitality, Waffle Houses, and Buc-ees, as well as our general freedom and abundance, should help us all reconsider the privilege we have to proudly be an American.

In my opinion, what has really formed our American identity is the local hardware store. I’ll say that broadly, with a deviation to a general store or lumber yard. This type of business has served the locals with the necessary goods and products to survive and thrive in their different environments. They have been crucial to the establishment of our nation, supplying settlers with essentials as they pushed west and were often the center of trade in towns. Nowadays, big box stores have mostly taken over the bulk of business in larger population centers, but the small hardware store can still be found and experienced, especially in rural places. Based on their warehouse distributor affiliation, they can supply the needs of the local population with product mixes that are in demand. A well-managed small store can regularly compete with pricing against the market.

Case in point. I was helping with a project in Cranberry Twp. last week and needed some more drill bits. I called the supervisor with specifics, who got some at a local Ace. When he dropped them off, we discussed the price he paid. We did a price comparison, where I was 25% cheaper than Ace and about a dollar cheaper than Home Depot. Not that I was complaining about my retail, – It still was at a good price point. I started checking some random price comparisons in the store, winning some, losing some, but overall, we were competitive.

If you don’t have any good plans to celebrate Independence Day, I would like to invite you to my hometown, Zelienople, PA, to experience the best of Small Town America. We put on the longest Hour-long parade, have bands playing in the park afterwards, and we have a special visitor for the weekend: The Traveling Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

If you haven’t visited or seen the actual Tomb in Arlington Cemetery, this is a half-scale, detailed replica of the monument. It is a special honor to host the organization again in town, especially for America 250. Based in Rome, GA, they have traveled the country, allowing the Tomb to be experienced by millions over the years. You can talk with retired sentries who travel with it and get to see the replica up close and personal.

Many towns around are celebrating our quincentennial in their own way this summer, and it is worth taking the time to visit and support each community. Emlenton Summer Festival is July 10 and 11. Oil City Heritage Festival is July 22-26. Southern Venango County Community Day (in Clintonville) is August 22, to name a few that I will attend.

While I’m no soccer or football fan, I have enjoyed the positive energy brought to our nation. From the Tartan Army drinking Boston dry, the Oranje Bus on tour, and Freddy from Germany getting an invite to the White House after going viral, along with many others sharing their perspectives, we should refocus on what really makes America great. Apparently, it’s BBQ and free refills. God Bless America!

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Daniel Karns and his wife own Clintonville Hardware & Rental along with other businesses. Join the discussion by contacting him at info@clintonvillehardware.com.