MOUNT VERNON – G.R. Smith Hardware has been on Mulberry Street in Mount Vernon since 1912. Owner Bill Kramer talked to the Mount Vernon News about the business.
Can you talk about the history of the store?
G.R. Smith started it back in 1912 and it stayed in his family until 1962. Another father and son bought it and they kept it until 1987. Then another gentleman had it until 1999 when I purchased it.
Are you still in the original building?
No, the original building is where the parking lot is now. It started out as a bakery on the corner that looked like a house. Through the years, Smith kept buying properties down Mulberry Street. They built this building in 1960.
Has the business changed dramatically since you purchased it in 1999?
I would not say dramatically. It’s a constant evolution of what you carry and how you do things.
What makes your store different from the big-box chains?
We emphasize personal service. When someone comes in, we answer questions and help them locate product. We still deal with a lot of things the old-fashioned way. If somebody wants something special, we can order it without much hassle. We are blessed to be in the community that has supported us for 108 years.
What is your favorite part of operating the business?
Helping people. There’s an old saying I have hanging in my office that goes back to a 1934 ad that G.R. Smith did: “Service to you, a pleasure to us.” Helping people is always a pleasure.
How has the store fared during COVID-19?
We’ve had some record-breaking months. A lot of people didn’t want to go to the big stores for fear of the virus. They preferred smaller businesses that were not so crowded. I never dreamed we would be selling so many masks, Clorox wipes, and Lysol spray and all the cleaners. We’ve tried to get as much of that stuff as we can. The biggest challenge this year has been getting product in. So many manufacturers couldn’t make enough product because they didn’t have enough employees or couldn’t get raw materials.
G.R. Smith Hardware
101 South Mulberry St.
PO Box 109
Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050
(740) 397-5747
Hours
M-F: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
