Buttonhole McGee wrote in
news:Ngx8c.4450$w54.49735@attbi_s01:

Inquiring minds want to know where in the JerryBrownville area such a
place exists (let alone places)! Next time I go get my Golden Bear fix
and my Zachary's fix, might as well try to do something about my
hardware jones, too...

patriarch wrote:
Tom Watson wrote in
:

Great story, Tom. Thank you for the tribute to your friends.

In the Oakland, California, area, a fine family runs several hardware
establishments such as Moser's. Has for several generations. They
are truly a treasure, both the stores and the people. It's not
always easy. Parts of our area are far from gentrified.

But you are always greeted, served and educated when you arrive. And
I am pleasantly surprised at the treasures Peter digs out of the
racks, whenever I go in with a problem.

I don't know about one of those 1900-vintage Disstons, though. Maybe
I'll ask, next time I'm in.

Patriarch



I deal with Peter Eames, at Eames Hardware, in Pleasant Hill, Ca. His
sister now runs/owns the store in Oakland, near Children's Hospital.
Sorry, I don't have the name at hand. Two more brothers run a big Ace
Hardware in the Albany/El Cerrito area, down by the freeway, just north of
the Free Republic of Berkeley border.

Oakland has counter service, rather like an auto parts store, because
unfortunately otherwise, security and shrinkage gets to be a big problem.
But the counter service allowed them to stay open, serve their customers,
be profitable, and keep a good store in the neighborhood, in spite of a
large Orange BORG just up the way in Emeryville, near the IKEA.

The Pleasant Hill store went in 5 years ago, right after I bought this
house we're in now. I think the only week I haven't been in there was a
week I was traveling. Some Saturdays, three and four times, depending on
how the projects are progressing.

It's been holy writ in our family for over fifty years, that any plumbing
project will take three trips to the hardware store, minimum. The last two
low flow toilets I installed were one trip each, not counting the trip to
return the extra angle stops with the 'other thread' pattern. Eric really
knows his stuff. But then he would, with 25+ years in the business.

Patriarch,
who's been thinking that Jerry Brown has been far from the worst of the
local politicians. Oakland's a tough crowd to please.