CoryDoors — A Sad Farewell #ThursdayDoors

This is part of Norm Frampton’s lovely Thursday Doors link-up. Go look at his wonderful pictures, click on the linky-doo, and visit some of the other participants.

Alstott’s Hardware was one of those stores you read about — almost a general store — where you could get a stunningly wide variety of items. If you needed a little doohicky that looks like this, the first place you should go is Alstott’s. Show one of the guys your doohicky and he’d find you a replacement. Or if you need a mailbox, Alstott’s had a wide choice of sizes. Plumbing supplies, canning supplies, garden supplies, knives, poisons, compressed air, popcorn poppers (from electric air-poppers back to cast-iron), funnels, tongs …. You get the picture.

Well, Mr. Alstott decided to sell the store and retire. Then he died, so nobody could talk him out of it.

There was a going-out-of-business sale, and OF COURSE I went. I had to bear witness to the passing of an era.

AlstottsApproachYou probably can’t read that sign on the upper half of the building. It said ACE Hardware, but Mr. Alstott had a falling out with the ACE people and withdrew from their network. Rather than get a new sign, he just painted over the ACE and left the Hardware part.

Alas
Alas

I adore hardware stores, especially ones like this one, jam-packed with stuff you never knew existed.

AlstottsInside
Some of the treasures.

So bought a few things. Some things, I would have gotten in times past, but no longer need: an electric carving knife (we don’t do vast slabs o’ meat), a popcorn popper (just the two of us can get by on the occasional snack bag of microwave stuff), an ice crusher (no Derby parties, since Eight Belles died on the track in 2008), an electric roasting pan/slowcooker.

Here’s what I did get.

AlstottsHaulLamp oil, compressed air, a collapsible funnel, burner pans, a bar of poison ivy/oak soap, and a double boiler. That card that says “1/2 off“? It says “up to 1/2 off.” I read it. Many didn’t. There were tears before bedtime. heh

Farewell, Alstott’s. I’ll miss you like stink.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character gets less of a deal than they think they’re going to get.

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “CoryDoors — A Sad Farewell #ThursdayDoors

  1. dan antion

    December 17, 2015 at 7:05am

    I love hardware stores. It’s sad when they close or get made over into an ACE Store of the Future. I prefer the small independent guys and I do my best to shop at the one remaining local store that’s close to me.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 17, 2015 at 8:15am

      I’m really going to miss Alstott’s. We have an auto store that’s almost as much fun, but nothing to compare with Alstott’s. 🙁

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  2. Jane

    December 17, 2015 at 8:19am

    There’s still a great store nearby. You can just go through the alley to get there. You don’t even have to go up onto Frankfort Ave.

    Sorry for your loss. Mr. Astott sounds peppery as all get out.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 17, 2015 at 8:54am

      Peppery is right. Just don’t, as you value your skin, attempt to RETURN anything! You should have made sure it was what you wanted before you bought it. heh

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  3. norm 2.0

    December 17, 2015 at 9:38am

    This was a great way to pay tribute to all of the small independent business owners out there. It’s always sad when a locally-owned and operated business disappears whatever the reason. RIP Mr. Alstott.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 17, 2015 at 10:11am

      We’ve lost some wonderful stores and restaurants from Corydon in the 30 years we’ve lived here. The owners retire or landlords price the rent out of the independent price-range. We still have some good’uns, though. I wish I could have shared Jock’s Lunch (known to the locals as Jocko’s). Best home cookin’ outside your mama’s house. And the Ideal Restaurant. And The Fair Store. I have a treat for Christmas Eve’s post, though. Stay tuned!

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        • Author

          Marian Allen

          December 18, 2015 at 8:51am

          Jessica, it was off the main streets, back by the creek. If you haven’t been to Lisa’s Sports Bar and Grill, which is next to Alstott’s, go there. You can sit in the back, away from the smoke of the bar proper. The fish is delicious! They also have frog legs and great meat loaf.

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  4. joey

    December 17, 2015 at 12:44pm

    I enjoy anything unique, and this shop definitely qualifies. Glad you were there to see the end of the era.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 17, 2015 at 3:41pm

      I’m glad I got to experience Alstott’s. Just wish it could have continued, but I completely understand the heirs not wanting to be in the business. It’s rough.

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  5. Judy

    December 17, 2015 at 4:37pm

    I think I would have liked Mr. Alstott based on his repurposing of his sign. 🙂 The big DIY box stores have sure put all the local hardware stores out of business and that is a downright shame.

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 18, 2015 at 8:49am

      It sure is a shame, Judy! The problem was, in “paying tribute” to Alstott’s, people interviewed for the paper invariably said things like, “If I couldn’t find it anywhere else, I knew I could find it at Alstott’s.” Maybe if they had bought at Alstott’s FIRST….

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  6. janet

    December 17, 2015 at 8:40pm

    So sad. The passing of an era.

    janet

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    • Author

      Marian Allen

      December 18, 2015 at 8:52am

      It sure is, janet. I’ll really miss it. We bought seeds and bedding plants there in the spring, sleds in the winter, all manner of things all year ’round. 🙁

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