Part of the Nostalgia of My Life: A Small Hardware Store

Did you ever enter a store, restaurant, or similar place to have the smell instantly bring familiar memories to you of another time, maybe even another place? This is what happens whenever I have went into a cute little hardware store in the town of Chester,WV, where I have lived for over 37 years.

In fact, one memory I enjoy thinking about is when I visited this quaint, little Werkheiser's store the first time. I was 16 years old, newly married, and in need of new products to have for our first apartment. I bought goods at local stores to get to know the town a little bit since I had lived in Pennsylvania and moved to Chester.

So every time I have ever gone into this country-like store since that first time, I instantly have smelled a scent that was neither pleasant or unpleasant, but unique. A combo of flower and vegetable seeds, rakes, potting soil, hoes, and stuff like that. A hardware smelling store with some feed store thrown in. A nice memory to recall that is triggered by that smell, reminding me of my first home with my new husband. I was so happy in that first home we made with all of the brand new merchandise!

Also, Werkheiser's was a quality brand store, carrying lots of "True Value" brand stuff during the seventies when I was a regular customer. I remember that people visited from Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania over the years to get garden utensils and supplies at this store. There wasn't too many hardware stores in the area in the seventies so this little store stood out among the rest pretty much. Moreover, this store is a nostalgic piece of history in Chester, WV. I think that the owners then were such nice people and they made a cute pair, the Mr and Mrs Werkheiser.

Another memory, the key cutting, was always a thrill to watch. It was a big deal then, before the machine was there that they have had in later years. Kids in the store would gather round to watch the keys cut out. Of course, the machine that came later was much more advanced! After the keys were done, old keys could be kept, so kids ended up with fun keys for role playing at home.

Part of the nostalgia of my life : My visits to the hardware store, smelling that nostalgic smell and beaming with happiness as a new bride. Who would ever think that visiting a hardware store would make true happiness remembered in simple delights?

At present, this valuable piece of Chester history is still in business, just the same as it always has been, although it has changed for the better over the years. Every time I see it, I smile and think of long ago memories...the nostalgia of my past.