Closed Hardware Store in Memphis

[bamaboilermaker]

Last week i saw an aution on HiBid where an entire hardware store was being liquidated.  I think there was about 1500 different lots up for sale.   The one i had my eye out for was a Homelite breaker / spinner from the 70's along with numeous other deals.  Long story short, i ended up with the Homelite breaker & spinner, an Oregon breaker, about 50 ft of Oregon 91, probably 500 chain connectors in everything from 0.25 to .404 (all mixed toghether!), NOS Homelite XL bars in 10 and 12 inch, 6-8 loops of random chain which shop had sharpened but never picked up along with rolls of both cork and fiber gasket material.

I got all this for less than $100 including tax and premium.   I wish i had more room in the workshop because there were many deals to be had.  I think there was 1 lot of 19 50 foot boxes of Tygon which went for $40, an endcap of small engine oil filters and carb kits and air filters which went for $60, etc.

I hate to see these old traditional shops close and be replaced by the big box stores where no employee knows much of everything but i guess that is the new world, buy something new and throw it away when it breaks.

[charliec]

Awesome!!!

I would love to snag a deal like that.

So sad that old-school hardware shops are far and few in between these days. I 100% agree, big box stores have clueless employees when it comes to product knowledge and for that matter... service. Employees that tend to work in these big stores are only there for a paycheck. The days of being interested/liking the job are long gone in my opinion. It doesn't help that they have no one to teach them on-site nor does the management provide product based training/information. It is all about keeping costs down and appearing friendly while not actually providing information/product help.... ha! I like to refer to this type of service as .... "The no help, help desk"!

Side note: If anyone has a good used breaker/spinner combo (late 1960's/1970's good stuff) for sale please send me a private email.

Charlie

[onlyhomelites]

Nice score!

[blythkd]

Sadly these mom and pop stores will continue to close down. It's tough for them to compete in this day and age.

I found a quaint little hardware store in Lincoln Alabama a few years ago (near the track) that I like to visit every time we're down there even if I don't really need anything.

They have bars and chain and make custom chains from bulk. The folks there are very helpful and can walk you directly to anything you ask for.

[jselden78]

It’s not just big box stores that close some of these mom and pop stores. It also has some to do with the fact no one wants to take them over. The next generation often feels they can’t earn what they want with these stores and there may be a little something to that. There is one survivor near me though. A young couple took on a grandparent’s store and has really done well. They are in their 30’s and have made it one of the busiest lawn and garden stores around. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and he even holds some old stock parts. I’ve gotten both sizes .404 from him. I found a roll of .404 .058 ga several years ago but I had no links to put it together in the loops I needed. He actually had some and may still have more

[bdm53ent]

Which store was it in Memphis. I sure missed it !! Im from Memphis but have lived in Southaven MS 35yrs

[bamaboilermaker]

The store was called "Mathew's Hardware" and was on South 3rd in Memphis. It looked like it had been there for 50 years and had been closed for a while.

Last night I tried out the breaker / spinner on a used loop of 91, worked like a champ. Now i just have to figure out if the spinner was made by Foley Belsaw or Herr for replacement parts.