A few days ago, I walked by Tony's Hardware store at 181 Smith Street and was saddened to see a "store for rent sign" from Smith Hanten Realty in the window. A PMFA commenter just wrote to say that he had heard rumors that the owner was retiring.
If that is true, make sure to stop by this old fashioned neighborhood hardware store before it closes forever. Tony's always packed lots of inventory into his store and seemed to carry every tool or product necessary to get any job done. Tools, paint, shopping carts, and plants, Tony's had it all.
Will miss this place. How about you?
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
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18 comments:
I stopped by when I saw the sign and he said he was retiring. They will definitely be missed.
Any idea of what's going into the old Italain American center on Court between the union market and the yet-another-fitness-place? There was a community board hearing but no idea whats going there.
Ms. Lo, are you referring to the old Paris Theatre?
If so, that will be a new Montessori School.
This is my hardware store. Please say it isn't so! They are the nicest people. Always so helpful and personable. They have beautiful plants in the back, too. I will always go to a smaller hardware store over a Lowe's and Home Depot any day.
Happy retirement wishes to Tony. All we have left now is Mazzone and Bruno's, each at the opposite far ends of Court Street. I don't foresee either of them closing for many, many years to come, but it won't be long before Carroll Gardens lacks the vital everyday neighborhood services that its residents need. We're gradually turning into an "urban suburb"... need hardware items, a supermarket, or non-artisanal, grossly overpriced groceries? You'll have to get into your car (if you have one) and drive elsewhere.
Have a great retirement Tony and Maria, hope it's great and thanks for the many years of your welcoming attitude, you gave the neighborhood so much.
Love Tony's. Always helpful and nice and had everything.
Go to Mazzone's on Court; they are one of the best in Brooklyn, and will not be closing any time soon. The good thing is that while hardware stores all over the country were driven out of business by big box stores, they did not go under anywhere in NYC. People love local HW stores; they are so much faster and more pleasant than a trip to Lowes! If they go out of business it is because the owner is retiring and nobody in the family wants to take it over. This happened with Accardi hardware on Columbia street a few years ago; they were also a very old family business, and he sold the building and moved to Florida. I went to that store when I lived off Smith; great selection for both pros and neighborhood customers.
There were 2 hardware stores on Smith in the same flavor as Tony's. One around Carroll and the other around Degraw (I think) where the wine store with all the old tin walls and ceiling is now. Neither of them were retirement age. And I think there were others on Court. HD and Lowes did have an impact.
oh no my go to store when I have a problem and their stuff is so much better than the chain stores...happy retirement Tony you deserve it!
Tony will be missed. He always explained what I needs and how to fix my problem. What a nice man. I wish him well. Sad to see these fine stores go and the nabe change.
Bruno's and Mazzone survived because they allowed or sold to the Ace and or Tru Value brands. As well as Benjamin Moore. But, both are far from corporate. I think Tony should sell his store to a new owner. His loyal staff could stay on. But please don't close and sell everything. We don't need another Nail Salon. We need plumbing fittings that work with our older apartments. And everything else sold there. Lowes is not for us.
Oh no! I'm in there every weekend getting supplies for whatever project I've got. Tony and Maria are always super helpful and they have just about everything I need. Best wishes to them - they've been a huge asset to the community. They will be missed.
Ace and TruValue are buying cooperatives(sort of like a franchise). The stores remain in the owners hands not a corporate entity. Loew and Homedepot are owned by corporate entities.
Ugh, that's too bad. I guess it's nice he's retiring and leaving on his own terms instead of being forced out by a rent hike. That was my go-to hardware store when I lived up at that end of the neighborhood.
We are sad to hear this news. We'd rather shop at Tony's than any other hardware store. Friendly, helpful, reasonable.
Phillis & David
also Leopoldi's on 5th ave and 7 st, a great hardware sore.
Very sorry to belatedly hear this-- I was out of town the past month.
The use of the term 'urban suburb' above is awful-- awfully depressing but increasingly apt, I'm afraid.
Who are these people who WANT to live in a world of nail salons (surely money laundering fronts of some kind, there's no way the demand = supply with that level of rent) and banal fitness/training boutiques?
Q: Does anyone remember the all-in-one shop-- variety store I guess you'd call it-- Dave's that was on Smith St until c. 1998-99? Very gregarious owner + wife, maybe a little too much so but hey, it was part of the neighborhood charm. If memory serves, the predictably pathetic CVS is now in that space.
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