Dunsmuir Hardware

The traditional hardware store of Dunsmuir - California's historic railroad town. Founded by Dunsmuir's first mayor - Alexander Levy - in 1894 and continuing today as a full service TRUE VALUE hardware store. This blog is simply intended to be a running commentary on operating a century old small town hardware store. Also please check our our website at www.dunsmuirhardware.com

My Photo
Name:
Location: Dunsmuir, California

Sunday, April 16, 2006

SLOGGING ALONG

Paid our taxes this week! Now going through the depression that always follows. Even though we pay huge (to us) quarterly deposits all year, paying the balance at the end hurts. It doesn't help that the April due date falls at the end of the slow winter season - and this year it was particularly slow due to our rotten weather. Also doesn't help to read in the newspaper about the trillions of dollars going to wage war and rebuild other countries. And the obscene profits that the big corporations make while we little guys just keep slogging along and struggling to keep going in the face of rising operating costs and higher prices for our merchandise. Higher and higher fuel costs translate to higher delivery costs for our merchandise - regular gas went to $3.05 this week. Trying to find affordable health insurance is an exercise in frustration. And it just keeps raining.

There - - - I feel better getting that all off my chest! It's Easter and time for renewal and revitalization. The little teasers of sunshine we've had now and then seem to perk people up and make us optomistic that things will be getting better.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

IGNORE IT !


Enough of the complaining about weather! I'm reminded of the old saying; "A wise man once told me; 'smile - things could be worse', so I smiled and sure enough - things got worse." We tried to smile about it and it just got worse. A sloppy wet snow storm on March 30 and 31 that left us with 5 or 6 inches of slush. So - enough of this. We're just going to ignore it and hope it goes away.

As to this photo - we have no idea what it is! Obviously "Dunsmuir Mercantile Company", but don't know where or who or when. It's definitely not connected with our store or the town of Dunsmuir. It is obviously in the horse and buggy era - late 1800s or very early 1900s I'd guess. It's possibly connected with the Dunsmuir family somehow - they were in British Columbia at that time. In any event it is an interesting photo. Click on it to enlarge it and you can check out some of the details.

We put out our first of the month bargains yesterday - sets of pruning tools, two packs of weed killer, and garden rakes and shovels. All springtime oriented items that should be in high demand. Emphasis on SHOULD BE. On a positive note - we're selling the heck out of heaters, snow shovels and ice melter. IN APRIL!!!