Charlie’s hardware: grass seed, umbrellas, and everything else you need

Charlie Devaney at Swarthmore Hardware.

To the Editor,

I want to give a shout out to Charlie at the Swarthmore Hardware store, a small-town treasure in this time and others. He seems to be open all the time, has just what you need, and knows where it is. Today, I went on my early morning walk and needed only a little grass seed for spots where I am making a new garden. I asked Charlie how little I could buy. Did you know he sells grass seed by the pound? $4.99 I think it was. A few weeks ago, I needed to replace a lightweight umbrella that had broken. He had one. He has wooden dowels of all sizes to hang my quilts, and he cuts them to order.

What a contrast to the big-box stores like Home Depot. You can’t find the right place to look, you have to wait to find someone to help you, and then they don’t have what you need.

Nancy Rose
Swarthmore