Big snip age

I'll try again.....

I grew up in northern england. When I was going to school I worked at
the hardware store - Percy W. Stephenson & son. The old man who ran
the store was the "Son" . His three sons worked there.

The store was for the most part counter service only, very little on
the floor . Nails etc. sold by the pound, nuts and bolts - however
many you needed 2 or 22, no plastic bags of twenty to buy.

The store I worked in was the "new" store - they had moved from the
"old"store twenty years earlier. They had been in the old store since
Percy W started the business just after WW I. When they moved they
took everything, including stock that was for things like making
wagon wheels, cooperage tools etc. If they didn't have it didn't
exist.

As to selling old tools - when a long time customer (a retired Rolls
Royce mechanic) died, they sold his tools (an extensive collection)
for his widow - to make sure she got top dollar. These tools were far
superior to anything made today. They were sold to the regular
clientele - tradesman who would appreciate them and deserved them.

Last time I was in town I went past and they were no longer there.
Don't know what happened to them, hope they're still in business at a
"new" new store.

JC