Hardware stores (Rapid City, Pierre, Yankton: house, neighborhood, shop)

[plowman]

All right,
The thread I started about grocery stores has actually gone farther than I thought it would, from beyond the chain stores to the mom & pops which could actually go on forever, but it's interesting to see what people remember.

So, here's another try. What about hardware stores. I know most of these were mom and pop stores. In fact, they probably all are, but there were a few "chain" names. So let's see where this one goes.

I recall there were Gamble stores, but I don't know if there are any anymore anywhere.

There were also Coast to Coast stores, but come to think of it, I can't remember when or where I saw the last one.

The ones that seem to be around now are Ace and True Value and they seem to be numerous.

Anyone recall any other "chain" names for hardware that were in SD?


Karl has kind of taken off on his own in the appliance line, separate from the Hardware business.

When I was a kid, there were two hardware stores in Hurley, both of them by the name of Nelson. There was a Gambles in Lennox, Parker, and Bridgewater, and a Coast to Coast in Viborg as well as Freeman. That's as far from home as we usually ever got, so I can't tell you for sure what there was elsewhere's. Irene had one, I think it was Anderson's????

[Chris19]

Lennox had a Coast to Coast, which eventually became True Value and the store was destroyed by a fire a couple years ago due to electrical problems.

I have seen Hardware Hank in Canton and Pierre in the past and Do It Best in other small towns.

[SD4020]

Well Runnings Farm and Fleet carries the Do It best Franchise. They started dealing in Stihl power equipment - A good thing for me

In Pierre there have Hardware Hank. it is an excellent little store, that has what I need most of the time. And excellent customer service. It is really nice, they know just about everyone by name.

[plowman]

I haven't seen Stihl stuff in all the Runnings. Maybe it's a local thing? In Parkston there's already a Stihl dealer.
Best Stihl dealer in the country, most reasonable and knowledgeable is Schmidt Country in Marion. They have the dandiest autoparts and hardware store. Everything crammed in there! Another great hardware store is in Scotland. You name it, they've got it or can get it by Thursday!

[SD4020]

Originally Posted by plowman

I haven't seen Stihl stuff in all the Runnings. Maybe it's a local thing? In Parkston there's already a Stihl dealer.
Best Stihl dealer in the country, most reasonable and knowledgeable is Schmidt Country in Marion. They have the dandiest autoparts and hardware store. Everything crammed in there! Another great hardware store is in Scotland. You name it, they've got it or can get it by Thursday!

The Stihl merchandise came in last week or the week before. I don't know if its local or forth coming.

I was drooling over a 20" chansaw. Can't decide if I would get the MS310 or a Husky 455 Rancher.

Last year Stihl had an agreement with John Deere to carry their products.

[plowman]

rjl78

I was in in Parkston Friday and I didn't see any Stihl stuff at the Runnings there. I'll still do business with Schmidt in Marion. Yankton has Kaiser Heating and appliance as a Stihl dealer. They're very helpful too.

I would recommend the "rancher". The other model is only OK if you don't do a lot of cutting; I highly recommend if you heat your house with wood you don't skimp when it comes to a chain saw. You get what you pay for.

Actually, Stihl is the best chainsaw I've found, but they have their cheapy models too, so you're best taking a higher more expensive model if you do a lot of cutting.

I like to work my wood up into manageable lengths of from four to eight feet depending on thickness. Then haul it to my buzz saw and cut it up into stovesize lengths.

Do you heat with wood or just cut the occasional tree?

[leroyleroux]

We used to heat with wood, and dad had two Stihls. One a regular sized one, and one behemoth with a huge blade on it. I held it once, it was like trying to hold a car engine. But we put a lot of miles on them with no trouble. When we first started, he had other brands and we were always fixing them. The must try to be exclusive, because they are sold in Huron at a motorcycle shop, while our Running's does not carry them.
In Huron now we have a Running's and Ace and I think that's it. There used to be a Coast to Coast and a Mahowald's Our Own Hardware. Heck, Hitchcock used to have a hardware store with a lumber yard until I moved away.

[ElkHunter]

Miller had a Midwest Supply. Had anything from toys, to nuts and bolts, to plow shares, to actual plows.

Rapid City had a Coast to Coast and it was owned by Bergs. Was next to the railroad tracks. Can't remember if it was 8th, 7th, or 6th street. If it's still there, Danny might remember it.

[SD4020]

The main hardware store are Hardware Hank's in the same plaza as Safeway in west Rapid. Then Newkirk's Ace Hardware west location is in the gap and one on St Patrick Street east of Campbell Street.

I think the Coast to Coast in Rapid is no more. There is also Menards, Lowes, and Knect Lumber. Knect's main store is on Omaha Between 8th and 9th Street.

[plowman]

Hey Guys,

Don't forget Motive Parts out there on off the Interstate between Rapid and Ellsworth.

We used to go there all the time and even still stop whenever we go through Rapid. They have stuff you can't find anywhere else.

I bought a brand new wash boiler there just a few years ago. Now where else would you find such a thing?

I stopped in this last summer and bought the kids' Christmas presents. They have a great selection of kids toys, old fashioned things like farm toys, tractors , trucks, little girl's rolling pins, bake sets, etc.. To me it's neat that store is the same as it was thirty years ago. Not to mention you can get auto parts, tractor parts, horse tack, and clothes! If you're out in that neighborhood, check it out.