Nichols: The Last Hardware Store

I wanted to share a great story about a wonderful store in my home town. I am proud to call this amazing time warp part of my community. I hope you can appreciate the importance of such a historic business.


Opened in 1914, Nichols is the oldest retail store in the Virginia Piedmont still owned by its founding family.

Nichols Hardware in Purcellville is a trip back in time. With its uneven wooden floors, tin ceilings and overflowing shelves, this western Loudoun County icon embodies a period of American history when personal service and word-of-mouth advertising were the keys to retail success.

In many ways, Nichols doesn't look much different from the store that was founded in 1914. To the casual eye, the store may resemble a flea market hodgepodge, similar items gathered together, but with no real rhyme or reason. Every bit of space is used-even the ceiling from which dangles a tricycle and canoe on sturdy chains. Nichols Hardware opened its doors as the E.E. Nichols & Company in 1914.


To this day customers still receive that handwritten receipt. There are no computers in Nichols Hardware. You don't fix what's not broke.

The average tenure of Nichols's clerks is at least 20 years. Some have been working at Nichols for over 50 years.


Customer's include some celebrity long-time shoppers, such as Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State. Actor Robert Duvall also was a customer, as is Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley. Former U.S. Marine Col. Oliver North, and former acting chief of the CIA, and a fantastic amateur magician, John McLaughlin.


An iconic Purcellville family, the Nichols had suffered a full measure of tragedy over the past few years with, first, the deaths of Ted's parents, Edward and Margaret, and then the unbelievable news that Ted and Karen had died Sept. 5, 2010. After the death of Ed Nichols and his son Ted Nichols, the store is now run by Ed's brother Ken Nichols. It is deeply hoped by the community that this store will continue as is into the next generation.


This documentary is a loving tribute to the eclectic store. The documentary will be sure to tug at the heartstrings of residents, for most of whom "Nichols" was the place to go for the most basic, as well as the most unusual, of items. If you couldn't find it anywhere else, you'd know you could find it at Nichols-even if it had been sitting in a drawer for the past decade. Nichols has a dizzying array of items-from bulk nails sold by weight to feather dusters to kitchen ware, bulk seeds and potato sets, fire screens and beds.



Nichols: The Last Hardware Store

What does this have to do with social issues or civil unrest. Just sounds like somebody's life story.

Is there a broader point i'm missing?

This is cool. I also work at a local hardware store in my town and it's amazing seeing the same people who have been coming in for decades. As an employee it gives you a good relationship with the customers and the entire community.

It's going to be interesting how things turn out after the original owners pass away or retire and leave it all to there corrupted son who hopefully doesn't try ruining it too badly.

reply to post by kro32


Well, perhaps if you had read the thread you would have an idea why I think it's a Social issue. While your at it why not review this. Civil unrest & Social issues forum



Mods: Move if it is more appropriate elsewhere

reply to post by sean369n


Hopefully it will survive as this place has for three generations. The old ways are the best. IMO

Honestly who cares. I don't know these people and i'm sure there's thousands of stories just like this. I'm just not seeing the point of what this is bringing to light about anything.

Hard economic times maybe but it's discussed much better in other threads.

Originally posted by kro32
Honestly who cares. I don't know these people and i'm sure there's thousands of stories just like this. I'm just not seeing the point of what this is bringing to light about anything.

Hard economic times maybe but it's discussed much better in other threads.

Your amazing. You should not post if you don't take the time to read the thread. How you got that this is about economic times or that there are thousands of stories like this shows you are just a trouble maker / thread killer. Just move on and let the MODS move it if they want.

Originally posted by kro32
Honestly who cares. I don't know these people and i'm sure there's thousands of stories just like this. I'm just not seeing the point of what this is bringing to light about anything.

Hard economic times maybe but it's discussed much better in other threads.

Do you get enjoyment out of trolling every thread? Do you not have anything better to do with your time?

To the OP: I enjoy visiting places like this, I have a hardware store in my area similar to this, but with different owners now. The current owners have kept it as traditional as possible, while adding modern touches such as scanners, and automated paint mixing. Mom and pop businesses are getting harder and harder to come by every day. Glad to see the ones that are still around are making a go of it.

I did read the thread and there's nothing there but a bit of a sappy story about what the store looks like. Some people cannot hear sound on videos and the lack of a synopsis about what's in the video leaves one to comment only on what's written.

I still don't see what the issue here is nor have I seen it explained. As I said if I missed it than please state what the problem this story is related too.

reply to post by kro32

I am honestly trying to figure out why you even bother posting within this thread. Know what I do when I see a poppycock thread? Pass right on by. While the OP is light on details and he/she's own perspective, I think the implications in the post are clear: the disappearance of everyday "ma & pa" type stores and the emergence (dominance even) of the big box corporate stores.

OP, S&F for you sir. Thanks for bringing this story to my attention at any rate.

Well I post in this thread because it's a discussion forum and if I'm not sure what it is we are supposed to be discussing then i'll ask why. Your response makes sense but I didn't get that from the original thread and it was very light on the details.

If nothing else perhaps the op will be more specific in his future posts as to what he is trying to discuss. Thanks for clearing it up