UPDATE:
The Van Alstyne Hardware Store is no more. Shortly after it was sold in 2017, the previous owner, John Houx passed away. This link is to a story about John and his hardware store.
If you are thinking of moving to Van Alstyne or fixing up you home for sale, sooner or later you will end up at the Van Alstyne Hardware Store. There is over 90 years of history at this building location and over 100 years in Van Alstyne. If these walls and old wood floors could talk, the stories they could tell. The cool thing is the service is so far removed from what you will find at a big box store it’s amazing.
You won’t have to look for someone to come down your aisle to help you and they won’t leave you fending for yourself trying to find that what- ya- ma- call- it. I don’t know what that is but it’s probably related to some do-dad. They will either have one for you or know where to get one. Perish the thought that there will be a self-service check out here. It’s never going to happen. You will however, be checked out curiously by Maggie, the hardware store dog. Be aware that she expects proper petting for helping you and if you don’t give her a pat on the head, she will tell you about it.
One of the great things about living here is just like the good old days when you walk through the door you will get the usual Van Alstyne greeting,
how are you or how have you been, shortly followed by may I help you?
After sufficient consultation you will actually be walked to the aisle and handed what you came in for and sometimes you will be handed what you didn’t know you came in for. Don’t be fooled by the laid back nature of the place, they know their hardware here and they offer advise freely. It’s one of those places where you may get that look while they size up your hardware knowledge but when you leave you will have a PhD in what-ya-ma-call-its.
Part of the fun of living here is the pace of how things go. You know, in the Caribbean they call it Island Time. It’s not called anything like that here but you can think of it as Van Alstyne Time & it’s that way in the hardware store. Spend a little time chatting, gossiping, learning and just being sociable. There will be plenty of time to go home for those repairs with your brand new what-ya-ma-call-it.
So that it’s it in a nutshell – be sure to pat Maggie on the head for me & if you need help finding a home and keeping the hardware store evaluating your knowledge, give me a call.
